Broken
by tallgirl20
Summary: Companion to Winter Solstice. All Susan wants is a relaxing vacation, instead she finds herself with a werewolf, halfling and flitatious rogue as borders. With a mob boss, dark past, and love in the air, she suddenly wishes the vacation would just end.
1. Prologue: Susan Brennen

AN: Hello, everyone! I don't think anyone really expected this, but I really really loved the character Case. *thinking* I don't think any of you did at all, sadly. He was just so misunderstood! Well, I felt for the poor pervert. He can't hold down a woman to save his life, so I'm making one for him! Sure there will be a plot, (granted it will be crazy and confusing just like I like 'em) but this will mainly be my attempts at lemon/lime along with plot and (hopefully) love story. I have no idea if it will work out, but surely (surely!) after creating Winter Solstice I can do this!

Anyway, about updates. You can ask me about them, you can yell at me about them, or you don't have to do anything, but I really don't know if I will be giving this regular updates. Probably at least once a month. Maybe twice, but don't hope for more than that, at least not yet, who knows? I might get on a roll and might update every day! (Ha! Like that would ever happen.)

About chapter length. I am hoping to meet a happy middle on chapter length. Winter Solstice chapters were between 13 and 19 pages in length (apart from the prologue) and this one will probably be around 10. I like happy whole tenish numbers, so we will try and stick with that. Granted, I do have a problem with overwriting *looking at the length of this authors note* *sigh*, but I'm hoping you won't complain if they are a tad bit longer.

Also! This chapter is from third person (probably limited) point of view which means I can do all kinds of nifty things like tell what two characters are thinking in the same scene! HA! It's going to be awesome, if I can get some kind of handle on it. I must admit, I'm not stellar at third person point of view yet. But this story will probably end up being completely crazy plot wise, I just had a mind blowing plot moment! (Can you tell I'm happy today? That has to be like the tenth ! I've used!) Apart from adding new depth to the characters, this story will be a practice developing my own third person point of view.

I think I'm having an Alice day - or so says the all powerful muse, so I think it would be better for all of us if I just ended this note here. *thinking* I don't know if there was anything else I really wanted to say. I might just put the rest in another author note *grinning like a fool* It will be so much fun!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga. (*snickering* I really do love the word Saga) So, please don't sue me. Mrs. Meyer owns all those rites.

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Broken

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Prologue: Susan Brennen

Susan Brennen was not your normal County Attorney. Granted, she wasn't normal at all, but even rarer still for her field. It didn't matter that she tried to fit in. They said that gifted people always found a way to shine. The young woman had been whispered to be a genius or a prodigy long before she had first begun to stand out. She would have to be they argued for her to hold her position at such a young age. Only 23! How had she even gotten a law degree in such a short amount of time, let alone pass the bar exam? It was a favorite topic of conversation when gossip was running low in the county.

Not that her age was the only topic to discuss. There was also her skin condition: Polymorphic Light Eruption. Not that it was such a terrible disease to have in Crosby, North Dakota. After all, it was fairly cloudy there. But still, the woman didn't take any chances with her health. She was well known for her dark (people sword it was lace) umbrella that always accompanied her when she was outdoors. No one had ever seen the young woman in short sleeves, then again, it was North Dakota. Few had even claimed to see the girl's hands.

But those who did see the Country Attorney stood blinded for a few moments. It wasn't only the umbrella that was dark. She had short cropped raven's black hair that barely brushed her shoulders. Her complexion, apart from being perfect, was pale as the moon – obviously from her skin condition's restrains, they justified. But it was the girl's eyes that stood out the most. Perhaps it was because of her other characteristics that made them as prominent as they were. Or maybe they were just truly fantastic. Lord knew most of the town boys had fantasized about them at some point or another. Golden. Liquid Gold seemed to flow in melting streams throughout her irises. Who had such a color eye? Surely no one from Divide Country save her. (They must be some new form of contact, the jealous claimed.)

It was a shame really, most of the town's girls would complain. If not for her skin condition, she could have been a model off in some exotic land becoming famous. Instead, she was in Divide County taking up all the male attention – and there weren't all that many good ones to begin with! Yet, even the jealous girls couldn't hold onto it for long. She was too nice, her manners impeccable, and she always followed the rules – perfect they grumbled. Her only flaw seemed to be her lack of skills in the kitchen. No matter how many men (the few brave enough to come near her) had offered to teach her, she had assured them all politely (of course) that she was a lost cause. That statement was usually followed by her low melodic chuckle which seemed to stem from some long established private joke, though none had been able to decipher from where it had originated.

She was avoided mostly. Not because of her looks or even her skin condition, it was the last piece of information (juicy gossip) that scared townspeople who knew of her away. She had the uncanny ability to coax the truth from anyone. All it took was one well asked question all any secret (despite how dirty) would be brought forth into the bright light that seemed to emanate from her heavy gaze. Surely she knew the effect she had on people. Maybe that's why she chose such a small town to live in? So that she didn't have to deal with as many unwanted pieces of information? Maybe it was for other reasons. All anyone knew was since she had been made District Attorney, no criminal had ever gotten away and no innocent had been placed in jail. For that alone, the small district, almost in Canada itself, had accepted the young, yet vexing Country Attorney.

-‡-

Susan sat quietly in her converted back guest room. She had no need for its intended use, so she had converted the room into a private sun room. Obviously, she had to use out of state workers. It would look odd for her to have paid for such a room's creation in the county. A small smile quirked her lips upwards. Yes, her _illness_ certainly wouldn't allow such a thing. Drawing even more attention to herself was not something she wanted at all. Still, she had not been able to deny herself the pleasure of the room and had indulged in having the room renovated.

Even this early in the morning, she could clearly see through the multiple windows a faint light already breaking through the semi-hazy clouds that had been lingering for the past week. Unfortunately for her, it seemed her good luck had past, again. She pondered briefly about moving to another area. How many years had she been in Divide? A half second later, she decided three years had not been enough time to justify leaving because of the unusually clear spring she had found herself now in. No, that would just be a selfish whim. Besides, she had more than fast enough reflexes to dodge any attempts to expose her to the sun. And there was her agreement with her employers. She let out an extremely annoyed breath. Why had she even gone there? Just thinking about those royal bastards made her temper flair. Her unnatural eyes focused on the papers placed neatly along her desk as she tried (unsuccessfully) to get her thoughts off the Volutri.

She leaned back against the perfect English armchair that she had confiscated just after her 'birth.' It had always been her favorite place to relax. She needed its mellowing affects now. Blinking slowly up at the ceiling, she wondered how she had even gotten into the mess, again. She had liked to sleep. It was one of the few things she remembered about being human. She grumbled under her breath as she moved fluidly from the chair to the window. The yellow sun beams fractured off her skin sending mini rainbows skittering across the walls.

Her golden eyes examined the pale exposed hand. It had been over a hundred years now. Since her change that was. She gazed out the window as she began her daily remembrance. She was loosing so many details now, she fretted as she tried to recall her brief life with a beating heart. Would she have any memories left after another half century? Would she even want the reminders of what she couldn't have? Yes. She did want them. All memories were precious. She closed her eyes to savor the pieces of her past that she had almost lost. Her father's always childish face. Her mother's creased brow as she worried over something new. The mischievous smirk her little brother called a smile. She did want to remember, more than anything. No, that wasn't true.

Her eyes hardened as again she repeated her daily mantra. What she wanted more than anything was to make a difference. A positive difference. She couldn't change the past. She had accepted that long, long ago, but she could shape a new future. She had a talent – that had been evident even when she had been human. Truth. She could cajole the truth out of any being with a simple question. It didn't hurt that she had been naturally intelligent either. Ironically, her skills had led to her heart's death. She was just too good. Her skills had provided her with information so valuable that it had cost her her life. She stuck out fairly well too. There really weren't that many 'male' police officers as attractive as she had been.

She smiled a sly smile then. Yes, she had pretended to be a man. Not only that, she had been a government official (of a sort). An extremely good one at that. 1915 didn't think much of women who tried to meddle in men's affairs. Her cover had been necessary even if it had been the cause of the permanent crease on her mother's forehead. Too bad that she had been killed, she might have been the first woman police chief ever.

She turned from the window and at the slow deliberately controlled human's pace walked back to her room to dress for the new day of work to come. She was a creature of rules now. Habit and rules. She followed the same schedule day after day. Some thought her to be boring, but even those were few and far between. Her looks and intellect had created an unusual bond to the people of this small district. She had been confused (not to mention worried about her control) at first. Never had so many humans dared to come so close to her. She wondered if somehow these people lacked the need for self-preservation. Surely so, for she had had far too many come to seek her confidence. Maybe it was because she was such a novelty. She understood human's need for entertainment and, more importantly it seemed, gossip. She was not blind enough to think she would escape such scrutiny.

She had often wondered if she would have aroused (more) suspicion if she hadn't followed her rules to the letter of the law. She didn't follow them because they were enjoyable. She didn't even follow them because she had created them herself. No, she followed her strict schedule and rules because they had purpose. Their placement in her life insured that she never lost the tenuous control that she had worked so hard for. The raging beast inside of her hungered for the taste of their luxurious tantalizing lifeblood. It roared and raged to be released and allowed to truly feed. She had spent many years fighting against it. Now that she had it under lock and key, she would do anything to keep it there. That included following her carefully created rules to the letter of the law.

Rule #1: Feed often on animal blood. Never push the limits of your control. Keep reserves ready in cases of emergency.

Rule #2: Blend in as much as possible. This includes taking part in human activities that are completely unnecessary for your existence. Do not stand out in any area.

Rule #3: If faced with a difficult situation, smile politely (never displaying any teeth) and claim a construction appointment back at the house.

Rule #4: Develop no deep friendships with humans. Edward Cullen's situation must be avoided at all costs.

Rule #5: Keep all business (Volutri) connections well hidden and completely inaccessible to any being who may be looking for them.

Rule #6: Keep all rogue vampires out of your current town of residence or eliminate the threat.

Rule #7: Never mix business with pleasure.

Yes, those rules had kept her safe from any major danger for over a hundred years. As she picked out her clothes for the day, she wondered why she was feeling so out of sorts this morning. It wasn't often that her thoughts drifted back to the Volutri, especially when she was on vacation. She usually avoided thinking of them entirely so as to enjoy her brief moments of freedom completely. Perhaps it was the glimpse of the sun, the only other chain that bound her, that had caused her brief relapse. Still, she could not shake the bizarre and unwanted feelings in the air.

She frowned as she got into her car and headed into town. She was in no mood to deal with rogues today. She certainly hoped that her intuition was not coming from one of her own kind. Not that she was anything like those cold hearted human killers. She would never consider herself as low as them. Her brief life helping innocents had refused to allow the demon that rested inside of her to take the lives of innocent humans to fulfill its need. She hated the red eyed with a deep passionate revulsion. It was their incessant need for new strength and power that had drawn them to end her human life in hoping that she would serve them. They had been in for a distinct surprise. At least, for the moments before they were ripped to shreds and thrown into the fire they had seemed surprised.

She opened her iconic black lace umbrella before stepping out of her car. Immediately, her body tensed turning her into stone. Her eyes whipped along the pavement searching for the owner of the unusual scent that hit her senses like a wreaking ball. It wasn't human, but it definitely wasn't vampire. It reeked. Oh it reeked. Her hand went instinctively to her nose to block out the disgusting smell that permeated the parking garage. She had to force her hand back down. She needed all her senses if the owner of the smell was to attack her.

It only took a second for her to force back all her drilled in instincts and finish exiting the car. Any human watching her wouldn't have even noticed her hesitation or her hand quickly dashing from her mouth back to her side. Her steps were more controlled now – less human. She tried to smooth the gate, but was unsuccessful. She did not know if she could hold human speed if she lost even an ounce of concentration.

She took a deep breath and tried to separate the different smells as she walked to the parking garage door. At first, the disgusting scent covered all other scents, but after a few seconds, she was able to push the scent back and concentrate on the others. The musky smell of decaying soil was a common one and dismissed along with the exhaust fumes and motor oil that filled the air. She separated out her main assistant Tia's favorite fragrance and shampoo as well as the lingering colognes that the men saturated themselves with. Her hand was on the door knob before she had dismissed all the levels and mixing of scents that permeated the parking garage. It was only then that the last scent almost completely merged with the appalling stink was unraveled. The knob crushed beneath her fingers as she gave the sweet scent a name: vampire. The low wail of crushing metal drew her from her thoughts just in time to save the door knob. It only needed a little bending and it would just be a little smaller than before.

She uttered a low curse at her lapse of control. It was just that this was definitely not going to be good. Whatever awaited her in her office no less would be a war (in a sense) and she was going in completely blind. She wondered if she should just retreat to her house and avoid confrontation. Rule #3 would incline her to. Even as the though passed through her head she dismissed it, she couldn't go home today. Law enforcement had just caught the biggest smuggling haul yet and today she would be giving the documents on their case to make sure every piece of paper was perfectly completed. There would be no slip ups or loop holes in this case. She needed to do this fast and efficiently. There was no way it could be put off until tomorrow. Not that that really mattered, even if she did abide by Rule #4, Tia did not deserve to face the wrath of a red eye and whatever horror it had brought with it. Her general empathy for humans would not allow it.

She gritted her teeth and let her emotions rage for a second as she slipped into a mask of cool, calm, and collected then entered her office. Now that she had identified what the major threat was, Susan easily pushed it back to the far corner of her vast mind. The majority of her mind was taking in the room's appearance and comparing it with how the room had looked before she had left late yesterday.

She didn't let the mask fall when she spotted the new magazine in the small reception area whose front cover told about traveling overseas to visit small principalities including the famed Volterra. Internally, she seethed. _That _was not a subtle sign. Honestly, it was more like a neon sign blinking for attention. Exasperated that they had sent such a pathetic underling to fetch her while she was on holiday, Susan quickly picked up the magazine and rounded the corner. Tia was waiting behind the desk, but her anxious face belayed her turbulent emotions. If anything, Tia had better control than even Susan when it came to being professional at work. Her skittering eyes, so uncharacteristic of her normal self, landed on her employer. She visibly sagged in relief.

"Oh, thank Heavens, Miss Brennen!" Tia's hands nervously shifted the stacks of paper that waiting on her desk.

Susan smiled politely. "Are those the documents from the station?"

Tia jumped a little. "Yes, yes. I had almost forgotten. A page dropped them off just as I got here this morning, but Miss Brennen." Tia's gaze stopped jumping around the room (or more like vacillating between Susan's closed office door and the bland walls of the reception room) and landed tentatively on Susan's face. "There are some people in your office. They said they were old family friends. I tried to tell them to leave, but," she looked completely undone, "I just couldn't." She shook her head, her eyes glazed with memory.

Susan felt for the poor girl. Tia may be brave, but she had tried to confront at least one vampire on her own. It was amazing she had been able to stand it. The toil on her mind was obvious. Susan took pity on young human. She deliberately used her most calm and soothing voice when she spoke. "Thank you. Don't worry. I will take care of this quickly. Thank you for the documents."

Tia gave a small smile as she passed the documents into the County Prosecutor's hands. Susan carefully avoided touching her. The girl had more than enough interaction for one morning. "Miss Brennen?"

Sarah's golden eyes looked back towards her secretary in question.

"You have some very unusual friends."

Susan's lips twitched upwards. She hoped it looked like a smile. She was not pleased at all. She turned her head back towards her semi opaque door, glaring at the blobs that had the audacity to interrupt her vacation, and gently as possible pushed it inward.

Crimson red eyes were the first things that she noticed. She turned back around and opened the door again. "Tia?" She tried to ignore the feel of danger she had at showing her back to potential threats, especially when she could feel their eyes watching her.

The secretary's face appeared from behind the wall.

"I am to have no visitors, _period,_ until after lunch."

"Yes, Miss Brennen."

"Thank you, Tia."

She turned around and quickly clicked the lock shut. Her eyes scanned the occupants of her room. There were three of them. Two boys who looked completely different and one girl. She examined the in more detail quickly. The younger boy had the appearance of a middle adolescent. His golden blond, completely unruly, hair framed his face and chocolate brown eyes. _Brown?_ A spark of interest grew inside of her. Her eyes took in the female next. Her dark hair and tan skin did little to hide her native heritage. _Were the rumors true?_ She almost smirked at the strange group of people in her room. Lastly, her eyes looked over to the red eyed she had first seen. His hair was dark, but he had died it a lurid red at the tips. Her eyes swept down his body in annoyance.

A very human tick started up in her left eye. This vampire had the arrogance to walk in uninvited, while she was on _vacation_, with what she suspected was a werewolf and some human child, without wearing a shirt, or shoes?! What did he take her for?

"Get out." She hissed.

"Aw," the red eye smirked, "that's no fun. Just here just out, Susan. I might be able to extend your vaca."

Susan's eyes narrowed. Who was this vampire? She did not recognize him as a member of the Volutri, but he knew far too much about her not to have ties to them. A no-information vampire was not someone she was willing to negotiate with even if he did present a tantalizing offer.

"No shoes, no shirt, no service." She monotoned before completely dismissing them with her hand. "Now get out. I have no time for your games."

The dark haired vampire grinned. She had no idea why it irritated her so much. Probably because he was flaunting all normal societal rules. For a woman whose entire life was build around rules, his display seemed a personal attack on her. Granted, she believed him far too much of an idiot to do what he did on purpose.

"I actually really like games."

"Rules are rules. Get out." She narrowed her golden eyes towards the other two members of the group. They at least had the decency to look a little confused.

The bastard's grin turned cocky, drawing her attention back to him. "Don't you know rules were made to be broken?"

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*pondering* I think Muse wants my attention now. So, even though I know you all so desperately don't want me to go (Muse: Please draw attention to the heavy use of sarcasm. Thank you), but I have to get to work on all the havoc I'm going to be reeking on Susan Brennen's vampiric life! Oh! Please let me know what you think. I want it all. Flames only make me a better writer. Or burn me to ashes (hopefully not the latter). Later!


	2. The Job

AN: So here is the next chapter. I want you to know that this is going to be lot more M than winter solstice. Reasons why: 1. It involves Case - who if you didn't catch on in Winter Solstice- doesn't feel embarissed about his manly urges. 2. Because I'm using 3rd pov, I can show the emotions and actions of people that might not have been done in the presence of others. (You will see what I mean later) 3. I just don't think that this story would make sense without some of the components that I use. These are how I think that these events would play out. I'm hoping that people will not be complaining about it. If you do object, I will be glad to take it into account and maybe tune it down, but really people, it's Case. What do you espect?

Ok, enough note.

Disclaimer: Mrs. Meyer = everything. Me = nothing. Make since?

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1: The Job

Susan Brennen was silenced for a moment by his question, his audacity. The heavy silence clung to the room, the pregnant pause waited for her reaction. The fact that he would say such a thing to her, _her!_ Susan quelled the fury that pushed against her mind raging to be released. She would not be ruled by her emotions. Her eyes flashed for a moment before her façade fell again. Rules kept her in check, kept her beast at bay, protected the innocent humans who were able to live without knowledge that beings such as _him_ fed and killed them. Monsters such as him. She held no delusions about where he got his nourishment. She knew. How could she not? A mocking smile curved onto her lips. His one sentence showed her his entire view on life. It defined him as it also defined her. He was her antithesis.

"Rules are made to keep ciaos at bay, rogue." Her voice was a low whisper that was far more menacing than any other sound her visitors had heard her make. Case merely frowned, not the least bit cowed. She sure didn't take jokes well.

Susan's gaze fell away from the Red Eye. As much as she hated to admit it, she was curious about the other two strangers. A human and a female werewolf? "Why are you here?" She addressed them, her voice rhythmic and coaxing.

The native girl who Susan had gathered was definitely a werewolf, given her smell, spoke. "Case," her eyes glanced toward the rogue as Susan put the name away in her mind, "said you would marry us." Her eyes widened a second after she spoke, shocked by her own explanation. "How did you?" She whispered, confused and wary at the same time. Her eyes closed off immediately.

A genuine smile lit Susan's features for a second before they settled back into a frown. "Aren't you a little young for her?" Susan asked the messy hair boy.

His lips twisted into a half smirk as he spoke to her. "Sorry, but your powers don't work on my mind."

Susan took a step back. _What is going on?!_ Her eyes darted quickly back and forth between the three people in the room with her. This was not something she wanted to be a part of. She stared at the human boy again trying to figure out what was happening. There were far too many unknowns in this situation for her liking. She was no idiot. Ignorance could lead to her death if she was not careful. She needed to get out of this office first. Her instincts kicked in. Rule #3: "Excuse me, I just remembered. I have an appointment back at my home."

It was no use. Somehow, someway, the rogue whom the werewolf called Case had gotten between her and the exit. She froze as still as a statue. She was cornered in her office with a potentially dangerous rogue (especially if he cared nothing for laws), a werewolf, and a human child immune to her abilities. Her pupils dilated in shock. _Heaven help me. The child!_

How had this happened? That child behind her, he couldn't be related to _her?_ The one Jane complained about. _Bella Cullen. _The human who had mated with a vampire and given birth to twins. One girl. One boy. The boy with brown eyes currently occupying her office. She slowly backed away from the door keeping the Red Eye in her site so that he didn't sneak up on her again while moving to sit down.

The ciaos of her mind could not be quieted by any of her rules. This was a disaster. Why was this happening to her? She just wanted a nice relaxing vacation. Her elbow rested on the table and her face rested on her palm. "Why did you seek me out?" That was what she couldn't understand. If this was truly a Cullen offspring, why was it coming to a Volutri worker for help? Surely, they had someone who could do this for them. They had to.

It was the cocky rogue that felt compelled to answer for them. "I knew you could do the job."

"Marrying them?" She asked for clarification, a hint of panic coloring her voice.

"Yes," came the girl's reply.

"Perhaps, it would be best for me if you just start at the beginning. I do not understand why you come to me, knowing, I am sure, that I work for the Volutri."

She saw the two young ones stiffen a little. Her weary head shot up to see the boys glaring at each other. _Apparently not._ For a purely vindictive reason, she rather enjoyed seeing the Cullen child glare at the rogue. So they were not on the friendliest terms either. That might be interesting to keep in mind. Even so, she would rather there not be a fight. Blending in was essential. Quickly noticing the shaking of the girl's limbs, she reassured them.

"I am on vacation." She said with a rue twisting of her lips. How pathetic that seemed. "Have no fear, I do not wish for my _employers_ to visit this town." The disgust that Susan usually associated with all her references to the Volutri was not missed on her guests.

The girl's lips curled into a smirk. "So, not a big fan of the bloodsuckers either?"

_Bloodsuckers?_ How odd, Susan thought trying to hold back her amusement, that she found herself liking the were-girl, even if she did smell hideous. "No, I am not with the royals willingly, but please, tell me your names." It was strange not having titles to associate with her two youngest guests. She could care less about the Red Eye.

"I am Leah Clearwater."

"Amun Cullen." So, she was correct about the boy.

"Case!" The rogue said energetically. Susan resisted the strong urge to roll her eyes at him.

"So, tell me, Amun Cullen, Leah Clearwater, why it is that you need me to wed you."

Leah sighed before sitting down in the chair opposite the desk while Amun laughed lightly. "Have you ever met the Cullens?" He asked.

"No, but I have heard of your family."

"Of course you have. _Everyone _has." Case teased. Susan repressed the urge to shout at him. Why was he raising her anger so much? She decided it was just because of what he represented and went back to ignoring him.

"Then you know about Aunt Alice?"

"Yes, the future seer? Did she see your coming here?" Susan asked curiously.

"No, she cannot see were or halfling futures." Leah said before clamping her mouth closed. It was obvious to Susan by the fire raging in the wolf's eyes that she had not wanted to give out so much information.

"I apologize. I will try to keep my questions to a minimum." She said quickly.

"Thank you." Leah replied stiffly. Susan gave a small apologetic smile hoping to appease the girl. It didn't appear to help much.

Susan raised an eyebrow at the boy story teller. She didn't want to have to ask what Alice Cullen had to do with the wedding. It was obvious that they did not want to give away too much about their family. It was best for him to tell it on his own time and in his own way.

"Right." He began catching on to her silent question. "She's a bit of a, ah," he seemed to struggle to find the correct term to describe his aunt.

"Social and fashion fanatic." Leah prompted.

"Yeah, she goes really overboard when it comes to things like weddings." He said while rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Susan tried to stifle the urge to laugh at them.

Leah was staring at her in challenge. One eyebrow rose. "Can you see me in a couture white wedding gown?"

It was too much. Susan let out a laugh despite herself. The image of this sinewy native girl being forced into a wedding dress was far too comical. "No, I cannot. So, she does not know that you have come here."

It was not a question, and the answer was obvious. No, Alice Cullen had no idea that her nephew was marrying behind her back. How had they gotten away then?

"I am curious as to how you escaped your aunt." Susan said.

"We're on Spring Break this week." Amun replied.

"Everyone does their separate thing at the Cullen house on Spring Break week. Alice is over in Paris with Jasper. Apparently, she has been stressed lately, he suggested the trip to relax her nerves." Leah added with a smirk. "She couldn't see what was going to happen, but she knew something was. I didn't think she was going to let any of us out of her sight."

An amused smile came back onto Susan's face. These two appeared to be a handful. "Yet you escaped." It dawned on Susan that if Alice Cullen didn't know where they were, and they were with a Red Eye, did any of the Cullen's know where they were?

Her frown back in place, Susan said. "Surely, your parents gave you permission to come here." When no one said anything and Case's smirk broadened, she asked. "Do your parents know you are here?"

Amun merely smiled as it was he that she had questioned. Too late, she remembered that he could not be swayed by her ability. "Yes, and no." was his response.

-‡-

Bella Cullen let out a long, happy sigh as she relaxed on the beach. It was such a wonderful day. _Well, it always was good weather out here._ She thought to herself as she wiggled her toes in the dry sand. Her body was glittering just like the sun was against the sea though she hardly noticed anymore. Inside the small home, she could hear her husband speaking in hushed tones over the phone, obviously trying to hide his conversation from her. _Alice_. A Cheshire grin split her face. Oh, yes, this was going to be a wonderful day. A wonderful week for that matter if everything went smoothly.

She loved Spring Break, she had decided. They had been disastrous her last two years as human, but for that reason, her Edward had decided to make it up to her forever. Now, he was treating her to a 'second,' or maybe 'twentieth' was the more appropriate term to use, honeymoon back on Isle Esme. Probably trying to give her better memories to associate with this week of the year.

Her toes curled in excitement just thinking about what was to occur these next few days. Not that she hadn't been enjoying these perks of married life back home; it was just much more private out here. Bella had never been one who enjoyed attention. Out here, she could enjoy her time with Edward without having to listen to Emmett's or even sometimes Jacob's catcalls the next morning. Yes, here she could feel completely free to express her love toward her angel.

Speaking of him, Edward was walking back towards her now. She was unhappy to see a frown creasing his sparkling brow. She thought about extending her power to ask him mentally what was bothering him, like she did when they were in private, but decided with the delicate secret she was keeping that it was probably not the best idea. Edward still had the ability to dazzle the truth from her. She had promised to hold out at least until mid-week before she crumbled and gave him what he wanted. Bella decided to play innocent.

"Who was that?" Her bell-like voice queried.

Edward ran a frustrated hand through his tousled hair before joining her on the ground. "Alice."

"Again?" Bella said as she moved to lie against him, trying to hide her smile against the pliant flesh of his chest. Her lips connected with his skin out of habit sending warm tendrils of heat coursing through him and her. Edward let out a sigh of contentment. "What did she want?" Bella asked looking up to meet her lover's now scorching gaze.

Delicious desire swirled stronger deep inside her as he answered. "She still thinks Amun and Leah are planning something, and," he raised a perfect eyebrow at his wife, "she thinks _you're _in on it."

Bella's laugh rang through the warm air. "Me?" Her innocent smile could fool anyone except for her husband. He knew that twinkling look in her eye meant she was up to something. "Why would she think that?"

Edward rolled her over and pinned her beneath him in the hot sand as his famous half-smile caressed his lips. "I don't know." He growled at her.

"What do you think?" She asked cockily with heavy amusement still playing in her deep golden eyes.

"I think I have a week to find out." He replied as his nose brushed across her collarbone and up her neck inhaling her addicting scent.

Her unnecessary breathing hitched. "Oh? How do you plan on that?" She whispered a little too breathlessly.

He smirked against her skin as he lowered his full body atop hers. Bella felt his arousal press against her intimately even through the clothes they still wore. "I have my ways." He said before his lips descended to caress her delicious flesh.

Bella's eyes fluttered closed as her love quickly with expert ease located the most sensitive hidden places of her flesh. A soft moan slipped from her lips as one of his hands moved to worship her left breast. Bella hoped her son could finish his wedding quickly because she didn't know how long she could hold out against Edward.

She smiled then as he slipped her bikini top away and his lips took the place of his hand. She never really had been able to resist him.

"_Edward_."

-‡-

Susan just couldn't help it. The light sounds of laughter slipped passed her lips, unheeded. This was just so incredulous. _My, my, what tangled webs we weave._

"Correct me if I'm wrong, please." She began lifting her laughing eyes towards the loving couple across from her. "Your mother plotted with you against the rest of your coven. It was with her permission that you contacted the Red Eye, yes?" She was answered with a nod from Leah. "I still do not understand why _he _would wish to help you." She said throwing an ice cold glare at the rogue.

Case grinned. "I'm an old family friend. I know things." He said taping a pale finger to his temple.

"I do not appreciate cryptic answers."

"I bet you don't." Case grinned wider.

The snarl that passed through her lips startled Susan. Her lips pressed into a thin line. How was it that he kept riling her up? Case's boisterous laughter did not help to quall her furry.

"Case sent me a Christmas gift." Amun said quickly, hoping to divert the female away from Case. It looked to him like she might try to murder him soon. It worked, thankfully, and so, he continued. "A single slip of paper with 'When you need me: (833) 867-5309. I know Alice.'" Amun let out a sigh. "It was rather confusing at the time. Not to mention written with horrible penmanship." He threw another annoyed glance at the nonchalant vampire before meeting Susan's gaze again. "Will you do it?"

Susan looked them over again. In her mind, she was running through all the reasons why this was not a good idea. One, she was on vacation. She did not have any supplies to create authentic, fake documents. Not that Divide County didn't have these papers; she just wouldn't take them from this county. She refused to involve innocents meaning she would have to contact some of her older friends (pre-Volutri), and they were difficult to deal with when they were in a good mood. Second, her employers had made it extremely clear that there was to be no involvement with the golden eyed Cullen family. Aro would have her head if he knew that she had married one of them. Did she really need another reason to say no?

Yet, Susan found herself reluctant to do so. Weather she wanted to admit it or not, she liked the female werewolf. There was a type of bond that she could feel forming between them as both were women in abnormal situations. Not to mention, the girl seemed to have a sense of humor. And the boy, she had to admit that she wanted to talk with him. It would be the first time in her life that she could hold a true conversation with someone. And the rouge would be leaving. Obviously, since his job was completed there was no need for him to stay.

"It will take two days for me to get the supplies that I need. Are you willing to wait?"

"Yes." Leah and Amun said at the same time. How could Susan not smile at such a display? Maybe this would not turn out so horrible after all.

"Good, now leave me be." She was not looking forward to looking over the police files, but it needed to be done.

"Do you know of someplace where we can stay?" Amun asked.

Confident that she could endure the displeasing scent of the were-girl, Susan offered her home in hospitality. "You should be able to find it easily. My scent leads straight there."

"Thanks." Leah said.

Susan waved in response and went back to the papers on her desk. When the door closed to her office, she let out a sigh.

"Stressed?"

Susan hid her surprise and inhaled long and deep gathering his sweet smell into her nose. She frowned. The sweet scent that covered all vampires seemed lighter in his scent. Odd. It was also strange to smell the scent of scorched earth, of fire mixed in with the sweetness. Had he run near one on the way here? No, that would have been foolish. All vampires knew better than to play with fire. It was suicide. Her eyes flashed up to the rogue who didn't seem to take a hint.

"Could you leave now?"

He leaned against the side of her desk. "Probably," He answered compulsively before continuing, "I know several ways to relax." His voice suggestive.

"I do not want your help, Red Eye."

"I do have a name."

"I am aware of that."

Case grinned at the strange Volutri worker. He had to admit, she was beyond sexy sitting behind her desk, a pure temptation. He always did like black hair and with her eyes, hot damn! He wasn't the least bit ashamed to admit that golden eyed females made him hotter than the lurid red that he was used to. With her temper, she would probably be his greatest challenge yet. Fantasies flashed before his mind.

"_You disgust me." The county attorney spat out towards her guest, the infamous rogue, Case. She knew about his addiction to women. She would not allow herself to be charmed by him like all the others._

"_Do I?" He said as he walked slowly towards her. A smirk crossed his confident visage as she took a measured step backwards. "Looks more like fear to me."_

_Her eyes flashed with anger as she forced her feet to stop moving backwards. "I am not afraid of you!" Her passionate voice called out to him, urged him towards her._

_With his enhanced speed, he was in front of her in time to hear her gasp of surprise, of outrage. His hand grasped her equally cool wrist with his much larger one. Her eyes met his in challenge, filled with her defiance and something else. Something he knew very, very intimately. _

_She refused to be cowed by him. Even as the hard, sensual slash of his mouth descended hungrily across her own. She fought him, but her protests only made him want her more. He would bend her to his will; by the time he was through with her, she would be yelling his name._

_His sensual assault sent unwanted desires pulling deep inside her. It gave power to the darker, hidden desires of her body. She would not give in to him. She fought against her desires as his tongue traced against her lips, urging her submission. Her teeth bit down on his appendage in protest. _

_Case felt her teeth descend on his tongue and pushed her against a bookcase in response. The shelves cracked under their strength. Books tumbled to the ground. She opened her mouth to yell at him, unconsciously releasing his tongue from her grasp. One of his hands held her shoulder back while the other moved up her leg. She kicked out but his strong leg pushed them back against the bookcase. She found herself unable to kick out anymore._

_Her eyes met his again. "Let go of me." She knew if she had a pulse rate it would have been far too erratic. She had refused to let herself be affected by his cocky argent self, and yet, yet she couldn't push back all these desires._

_Her eyes met his reluctantly, sulkily, sultrily. He knew she was his. His vivid eyes raked over her body in victory. She was all his now. _

"_Case." Her voice was hesitant. All the more enjoyable for him when she would soon be screaming it. His lips descended to her neck quickly searching for the perfect spot to fulfill his desires._

"_Case!" He smirked against her skin, having found one of her pleasure spots. Her urging aroused him further._

"_Case." She moaned delicately, erotically as he found another sensitive spot._

"_Case!"_

"CASE!"

Case let out a sigh as he was interrupted from his daydream far too early for his liking. He met the furious golden eyes he wanted to bed. She would definitely need some encouragement first. But just how to approach her? He wasn't exactly sure yet. He could think of almost fifty ways off the top of his head of how to relax the tenseness in her shoulders.

"You know stress will kill you."

Her exasperated breath just made him grin. For so reason, he really enjoyed fighting with her. It was refreshing, and by looking at her, she needed a little loosing up, more like a lot of loosing up.

"Why are you still here?" She demanded.

He was able to get a grin in before he was forced to answer. "I want to have sex with you."

Her eyes widened and she pushed back from the desk standing up. The dignified repulsion in her face was comical.

How dare he! She had never been so offended in her life. Did he have no decorum? "You know," he looked up to her with the face of an innocent angel. She wasn't fooled. He had fallen very far from angel status. "You shouldn't ask questions that you don't want the answer to."

She bit back her anger. She resented the fact that he had a point, but still. "You can forget about that. I am not interested." She ignored the way his answering smile made her feel uncomfortable.

"Oh, we'll see." Case stood up slowly. Then, he was on top of her. Her instincts had caught his movement, but she refused to run away from him. She lifted her chin in defiance as his scent curled around her. He wouldn't dare touch her.

_Oh, yes, this was going to be more much fun than videos. _Case thought as his fingers whipped out to caress her cheek. He got only halfway down it before her harsh grasp on his wrist stopped his travels. "Do not touch me without my permission."

"Yes, ma'am." He said. She searched his eyes for the truth of his words before she released his wrist. He turned around and with one last wave back to her, left the office. She stood there for a few seconds before she could get control of her rage.

She was going to make some calls about him. She wouldn't be in the dark any longer in regards to the rogue who wanted her bed. _Not that he will ever get that honor._ She mentally added.

She was appalled when his head stuck back through the hazy glass of her door. "Oh, see you tonight."

"What?!"

"You offered to let me stay in your house." He responded with that damn arrogant smirk, once again surprisingly pleased that she forced him to tell the truth. "See you then!" Case smiled as he left her office. The look of righteous fury in her face was so fascinating and so much fun. He gave a sly smile to the flustered receptionist before leaving the office. His step was just a little lighter than when he walked in. He always enjoyed a challenge.

* * *

Ok. So, please let me know what you think so far. This was supposed to be much shorter. I hope your pleased with the last pieces which I hadded for you. Anyway, I would very much love to hear what you think of this story. It's going to be a little more serious as time moves on, but it will be more about the characters, than plot which is difficult for me since I adore plot. So, I'm flying rather blind into this one. Any advice or thoughts are more than welcome. I feel better about my writing when I know that you like it too. Thanks for reading, and I hope that you review! Tg out.


	3. The Case

AN: Hey! Wow, this chapter is kinda long, kinda not. I think this will be about how long each chapter will hopefully be. I just realized as I planned this story out how much more info there is when you use different people povs! I had such a fun time doing it for this chapter. Note! This will not all make sense to you at first. If you read WS, then you should kinda be prepared for my writing style, but with the different povs hopefully you can figure it out sooner. I sure can't wait to see what everyone thinks.

So, with nothing other than my: Mature Content! advisory, I will let you be! (oh, please be prepared to laugh. I had fun with Emmett *giggling*)

Disclaimer: I do not own characters, plot, or themes of the Twilight Saga. All rights belong to Mrs. Meyer. Anything (like Case?) else might have come from my mind, but I'm not entirely sure. ahahaha....

* * *

2: The Case

Tia Felder hated Mondays. This one was no an exception. First, her long term boyfriend and Deputy Sheriff, Mat Lewis, had left last night on some emergency call. Her would-be romantic night had gone up in smoke, and she had been left all alone, hoping he would come home eventually. He didn't. She didn't want to even think about how sexually frustrated she was this morning. Then, she had barely opened the door when three (completely unknown) friends of Miss Brennen had frazzled her already thin nerves by practically forcing their way into her office. That was _not _something Miss Brennen would appreciate, but to her complete shame, she was too much of a coward to make them leave. They scared her, correction, _he _scared her. She shivered just thinking about his horrible eyes. Who on earth wanted to wear red contacts?

_Monday's are hell._ She thought as the phone started ringing.

"Hello, this is Brennen Law. How can I help you?"

"_May I talk to Miss Brennen?" _A gruff male voice asked.

"I'm sorry, but she's not available this morning. If you give me your name, I will make sure she knows that you called."

Tia waited for an answer for several seconds, but got only the slight static that came with the old phone. "Hello?"

When there was no answer, Tia pushed the phone back into its receiver. She was in no mood for practical jokes this morning. Only a couple seconds later, the phone rang again.

Irritated and hoping it was not the prankster, Tia picked the phone up again. "Hello, this is Brennen Law. How can I help you?"

"_Tia? This is Chief Washington, can I speak with Susan?" _

_This is just great. _Tia complained mentally while checking the clock on the wall. 10:30. The Police Chief was almost worst than a prank caller. He never took no as an answer. With a silent sigh, Tia answered him. "I'm sorry, Chief, but Miss Brennen is not available this morning. I will be happy to tell her you called."

"_This is important, Tia, are you sure she won't talk to me?"_

Tia had to admit, it wasn't often that Chief Washington sounded so grave. Maybe she should interrupt Miss Brennen… Her teeth pulled on her bottom lip in indecision. The last one of the three visitors had just left. She still hadn't recovered from their strange visit; she knew her employer would probably want some more time alone. Miss Brennen _had_ specifically said noon.

"I'm sorry, Chief, but I was giving direct orders not to interrupt her this morning."

"_Tia, it's about that case that we sent over this morning."_

Tia felt her agitation growing. That was definitely important. The county _never _got drug busts. Her eyes flitted over to the frosted glass separating her from Miss Brennen. Was it worth ignoring a direct order from Susan Brennen? She would want to know wouldn't she? Her will collapsed in an instant. She wasn't good at defying the Police Chief. He was almost as intimidating as Miss Brennen.

"I'll see if she's busy."

"_Thank you, Tia."_

Tia let out a huffed breath as she punched for the second line on the phone and paged Miss Brennen's office. The dial tone came back busy. Happy to have an obvious reason to deny Chief Washington and obey Miss Brennen, Tia punched line 1 again.

"Chief? Are you still there?"

"_Yes."_

Tia smiled rather slyly. She didn't dislike the Chief or anything; it was just nice to take out her horrible morning on someone else. "I'm sorry, but she is one the phone."

By the deep sigh that Tia her over the line, she could tell he was annoyed. _"Will she be in her office all day?"_

Confused and with a furrow between her brows, Tia answered. "Yes."

"_Let her know that I'll be over soon."_

"But-" Tia began to tell him that it wouldn't matter if he came by, that Miss Brennen wasn't seeing anyone and that included him until noon, but the line was dead. She huffed again. She took out her frustration by slamming the phone back into its receiver. She didn't like being bullied by everyone. What was wrong with Mondays?

The phone began ringing again. Why did today have to be such a busy day? All she wanted to do was go home and wallow in what a horrible day she was having, but apparently everyone needed law services this morning. "Hello, this is Brennen Law. How can I help you?"

-‡-

Susan was having almost as bad a morning as Tia. She wondered if it was possible for a vampire to get a migraine. She didn't think so, but man did her head hurt. She could only hope she finished this side project soon so that Case – no that rogue, she refused to give him the humanity of a name – would be gone and out of her life. He was by far one of the cockiest males she knew, including every human and Volutri that she had ever known.

It was time she got answers about him too. She knew just who to call. She was thankful for her vampiric memory as she searched for her cell phone. Irritated that she had left it at the house that morning for it showed carelessness that she rarely allowed, she picked up her work phone and dialed. The phone rang for less than a half a second before a strong male voice picked up.

"_Hello?"_ She recognized Eleazar's voice immediately.

"Eleazar, hello, this is Susan Brennen."

There was a pause from the other end as Susan guessed he processed just why she would be calling him. He was still extremely careful, and she was an employee of the Volutri.

"_Why have you called?" _Eleazar's memory served him well. He could still remember her vividly. She had made quite an impression with her short, dark hair, golden eyes, and unique ability. At the time, he hadn't cared about her vegetarian lifestyle, but now he realized she was one of the first Golden Eyed he had ever met. It had been almost a century since they had last met.

_Straight to the point. _Susan allowed herself grinned. He was just like she remembered. "I actually needed you help."

"_Susie, I don't intent to help the Volutri. You know that."_ Despite his fondness for her, there was a line he would not cross.

"It's a good thing I'm on vacation then, isn't it." She couldn't help but tease with Eleazar. He was one of the few good parts of her past.

"_How did you manage that?" _She could practically hear his smile over the phone. Her smile grew too.

"It's a very long story for another time."

"_I will hold you to that. So, then, what do you need from me."_

"Information about a rogue vampire."

"_Are you in trouble?"_ Susan noticed the apprehension in his voice. She felt a warm emotion she hadn't allowed in a long time. He worried about her.

"I don't think so, but I don't like being in the dark." She wanted to assure him, but her respect for him wouldn't allow her to lie. She didn't know what was going on with the rogue.

"_I will help you if I can. What is the name of this rogue?"_

"Case." Eleazar felt his heart would have stopped if it still beat when she said that name. His worry for her grew exponentially. He was not one to tangle with. That rouge was unpredictable when cornered.

Susan was apprehensively waiting for his answer. Long seconds passed while she waited for Eleazar to answer her. She grew even more nervous when he answered.

"_What business do you have with him?"_ His voice was closed off from emotion. It left Susan feeling uneasy, but she tried not to show it.

"None," Eleazar let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, "actually, he brought me some clients. I just don't feel comfortable around him. Can you tell me what you know?"

"_Yes, I can, but I want you to promise me you won't mess with Case."_

"That bad?" This was not good at all, Susan's instincts informed her.

"_Yes, Case controls fire." _Susan's eyes went wide as she drew in a shaky breath. _Oh, God. _She barely fought off the panic. _I'm going to die._

"Please tell me you kidding." Her voice more pleading than she would ever admit too.

"_You know I would not joke about this."_

"Fire? How is that possible?" What kind of vampire could control and ability that was the fear of every vampire alive. How could he even control it without dying? It was suicide.

"_I do not know how as I have never seen his ability in action. He came to Volterra once by Aro's request to join, but declined. He has done several jobs for them in the states over the years but does not want to join."_

"Do you know anything else about him?" Her innocence still amused Eleazar. It was strange that she could be so naïve when it came to baser instincts, yet he found that in this she also had not changed in the hundred years since they had met.

"_Yes, you say he is not an enemy, correct?"_

"Yes, he's staying in my house." She grumbled.

Eleazar's laugh did not help her suddenly dark mood. _So foolish. "I would suggest you find alternate living space for him."_

"So he wasn't joking when he said he wanted to bed me."

Silence met her assumption. Perhaps he had missed a few developments. "Eleazar, are you still there?"

"_Yes," _he broke out into laughter, _"You just startled me. He actually said that?"_

Susan felt like a little child sulking, but she couldn't help it. "Yes, but I did kind of force him."

"_What question did you ask him?" _Eleazar asked with obvious mirth.

"Why he was still here." She confessed with a sigh.

"_Then you should be careful, Case seemed persistent when I met him."_

"Great. Just great." She mumbled again, her dark mood growing by the second.

Eleazar couldn't help but pity the young vampire. She was in way over her head if Case was interested in her, but if she didn't ask, he would let her live in ignorance.

"_Is there anything else I can do for you?"_

"Actually, there is. Do you still handle the documents for your new family in Denali?"

"_Yes, do you need new ones?"_ He did not know why she would, but it almost seemed required to ask.

"No, I just need a couple of supplies. Case brought me two-" Susan wondered how much she wanted to tell Eleazar. Deciding it didn't really matter if he knew, she continued with the truth. "Well, he brought me Amun Cullen and Leah Clearwater, a werewolf. Apparently, they wish to marry behind their family's back."

Eleazar's chuckle reminded her of her own amusement. _"You do not have your supplies with you? I thought I was a better influence."_

Susan smiled. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much. "I'm sorry, but I am on _vacation_. I was hoping for a couple years off work."

"_It does not appear like that will be the case."_

"No, at least for a little while at least." She sighed.

"_I can give you any supplies that you need. Where do I send them?"_

Susan gave him the address to her post office box in Crosby before thanking him for his help.

"_It's no problem. Take care, Susie."_ The term of endearment slipped off his tongue before he could catch it.

"You know I don't like it when you call me that." She admonished him.

"_Yes, I know. I apologize." _Susan didn't need to ask. She knew he enjoyed teasing her too much for his apology to be sincere.

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, old man."

Eleazar's laugh warmed her. It had been a long time since she had talked to someone she could be so open with, someone who knew her. She missed this, she realized.

"_Take care of yourself and do not make Case too angry."_ Eleazar reminded her.

Susan sobered immediately. "Thanks again for the warning."

"_I do not think he will harm you if he is interested in bedding you."_ He couldn't help but say.

"He might when he finds out that it's not going to happen."

"_Perhaps, but I do not think so."_

Susan eyed the phone suspiciously. "Which part do you 'perhaps'? You don't think I'll give in do you?" She asked affronted that he might think so little of her values.

"_I have heard of no unmated woman refusing him, so I must side with Case."_ Eleazar's mouth slid into a grin. She really did need to watch that ability of yours.

"No way!"

"_You must be careful with your gift. It will tell you what you do not wish to know." _Eleazar warned with more amusement than actual warning in his tone.

"Someone else told me that." She responded as she felt the black cloud descending again.

"_I suppose he was surprised that you made him to answer directly. From my memory, he was evasive. You probably intrigue him."_

"Do you know anything I can do to change his mind?" Eleazar caught the acute desperation, but could not give her the relief she wanted.

"_I do not." _It was one of the few times that he regretted the compulsion to answer her.

"Damn." She responded bitterly. Everything would be alright if he just left her alone.

"_I do not remember you having such a vocabulary. It seems you picked up some bad habits."_

Susan smiled at his almost fatherly tone. "I promise to wash my mouth out as soon as I'm off the phone."

Eleazar chuckled again. _"Is there anything else that you need my help with?"_

Susan sensing the end of the phone call took it in stride. "No, thank you again, Eleazar."

"_You are most welcome. I shall send the supplies today."_

"Rush mail would be nice." She heard his chuckle but let it go.

"_I would be glad to. Please say hello to Amun and Leah for me."_

Susan didn't realize that he knew them personally, but agreed to do so before hanging up on her old friend.

She sat staring at the phone lost in thoughts for a few moments before turning to the stack of papers regarding the drug bust that past Sunday. She hoped it would be and open and shut case, she really did not want to be involved in anything to major with so many unwanted visitors in town.

Unfortunately for her, Monday was not her day.

-‡-

"He's late."

"Who, Boss?"

"Police."

"Mr. Sunshine? He called earlier and said he had to bum a ride off some punk."

"He's still late."

"Yeah, I guess he is."

"Find out why and fix it now."

"Sure thing, Boss."

-‡-

Amun Cullen actually was enjoying his Monday. After leaving the Attorney's office, he and Leah had gone to scope out the woman's house. He wasn't exactly sure what he thought about the County Attorney. She was definitely different than he had expected, or maybe she wasn't. She seemed strict to an extreme. Was that what all attorneys were like? He didn't know why but he didn't think she was always so prickly.

"You need to feed." Leah's voice floated through his thoughts and grabbed his attention. He frowned at her.

"No I don't, I'm fine."

She gave him a pointed look that showed that she completely disagreed. "You almost salivated when we met the receptionist."

"I fed two days ago." He objected. He didn't like the fact that his half human body required him to feed more than usual, but two days was almost pathetic. He disliked being pathetic.

"We've had a busy two days." Leah responded. By the sly look on her face, she wasn't referring to the travel.

Amun sighed. "You're not going to let this go are you?"

Leah grinned as she moved out the back door and into the small woods surrounding Brennen's home. "How about you fight me for it?"

Amun grinned. "What do I get if I win?"

"Use that brilliant mind of yours." She teased.

"No transforming." He warned her.

"I want to see you when I beat you." Her grin was feral.

Amun launched at her just as she launched back at him. Six months of almost continuous training had definitely brought results, Leah couldn't help but admit. She knew she wouldn't win this fight. She couldn't beat him without transforming anymore, but just watching him fight was worth the beating. Her punch was avoided by his body's sinuous flow to the right.

His speed thrilled her. Her adrenaline spiked as his hand flew past her defenses and fondled her breast roughly before she could push him away. It was hard to push back the thrill his touch brought her. It would never be possible for her to not want him, but that didn't mean she would let him win.

Kicks and punches flowed together into a dance as old as time bringing them deeper into the forest. Time was lost as the fight continued and desire grew. Amun couldn't help it. He loved this game. He had played it often enough to know that he could win the fight but probably wouldn't win the game. She blocked his kick and moved inside his defenses. The wicked gleam in her eyes was the only precursor before her hand caressed his sex. _Oh, God._ Her fleeting touch was gone too soon as she skittered out of his range.

"That was a cheep shot." He reminded her.

"All's fair in love and war." She quoted.

He launched at her then. Before Leah even realized it, he had her pinned to the forest floor. _When did he get so fast?_ She wondered as his heat flowed through her from where they were joined. She met his eyes with hot heat fueled by adrenaline and lust swirling through her system. Her hands were moved above her head in a slow, painfully slow, manner.

Her eyes were devouring her. The black center pushing back his golden irises did not hide his emotions from her. "I think you deserve to be punished for that last one, Leah." His eyes danced with desire, but she couldn't hold back her grin.

"It looks like I won today."

He grinned back down at her, and she felt her win vanishing. His sensuous mouth descended to her lips. She was disappointed at the chaste kiss. _"Amun."_ She growled.

She felt the grin as his lips brushed against her cheek and moved to her ear. "That's right. You will beg for me today. I will win." His low demand pushed her heart rate into overtime. She didn't realize what she had gotten herself into, but she knew she was going to enjoy it.

Amun thoroughly enjoyed hearing her heart rate accelerate, feeling her scent pushed to him faster, but he wasn't satisfied with just that. She was going to beg him. There was no way he was letting her get away with pushing his control like that. His mouth descended on her neck with practiced ease. He felt her pulse against his lips and sucked bringing her scent closer to the surface and marking her as his. Her skin tasted fantastic. The scent of her blood called to him. He could never get enough. Amun pulled away before he forgot about his goal and ravaged her right then. By the look in her eyes, she wouldn't mind at all.

Amun kept his eyes on her face as he moved one hand to caress her right breast. He wanted to see his affect on her. Her mouth opened in a silent moan and the temptation to take that mouth was too much for his vanishing control. His lips descended to her bottom, slightly larger lip, and took it into his own, sucking on it. His hand moved under her shirt to feel the silk she called skin without the barrier of her shirt. Her stomach rippled under his touch while she fought his lips for dominance. She knew she wouldn't win, but it amused him to see her try.

Her body arched into her touch as he pinched her raised nipple. Her mouth gasped for breath, but he denied her a break by entering into her moist cavern. Her moan was audible this time. Amun couldn't help but smirk. She was his now.

"Pick up! Pick up! I need to talk to you!!" Amun groaned as he recognized his sister's voice. It had been her idea to customize her own ring tone. No matter how many times he tried to change it to something normal, she always managed to change it back to her voice recording.

"Ignore her." Leah responded breathlessly as Nessie's recording continued playing. Her lips strained to touch him.

"She's not going to stop." Amun replied as her lips connected with his neck.

"Damn her." She whispered to his warm flesh.

Amun smirked. "I win."

"Fine, but you had better finish."

Amun looked over her flushed face, her bruised lips, and wild eyes. He could still hear her blood pounding beneath her thin flesh. With a grimace, he realized she was right.

"After I feed."

Leah's amusement annoyed him. She loved being right. "Deal."

"PICK UP!!!"

"Alright." Amun grumbled at the phone before flipping it open.

"What Nessie?" He asked a little sharply. It was her fault that his too tight pants were not being relieved.

"What do you mean what?" His sister's voice asked across the phone. She was beyond hyper and it was all Amun's fault. He had refused to tell her where he was going on Spring Break. She had made sure to annoy him to the end of his rope, but he still wouldn't give. Finally, she had promised to stop if he would tell her when they left. Today was Monday! He should have called her already.

"I want to know where you are!" She exclaimed, frustrated.

Amun smiled. "I'm in North Dakota."

Nessie's excitement deflated. She had no idea why he would try to hide that. "Why?"

"You have to promise not to tell."

Nessie's eyes flashed in excitement again as she moved outside of the cabin she was using as a home. She loved secrets! She looked up at the sky trying to see the two men who were waiting at the top of the trees with axes in their hands. "OK!"

Amun tried to figure out why there seemed to be thumping, crashing, and yelling noises in the background, but couldn't explain them. "Nessie? You still there?"

"Huh?" Nessie looked away from the rapidly descending blurs. "Oh, yeah. So why are you there?"

"Leah and I are getting married."

Leah smirked as Amun held the cell phone at arms length. Nessie's scream would have been deafening. Nessie for her part was way too excited to worry about how loud she had screamed. Her brother was getting married. _Wait! _She pouted as she looked at the tan man on the ground shouting at the pale one next to him. "How come I couldn't come too?"

"You can't keep your thoughts from Dad."

Nessie pouted because she knew it was true. "Besides, you actually want a big wedding planned by Aunt Alice, don't you?" Nessie's eyes sparkled again as visions of her in a wedding dress danced through her head.

"Of course!"

"See, that's why. Leah didn't want that." He explained.

Nessie laughed. "I can't see Leah in a wedding dress." Nessie sighed as the gorgeous blond entered into the dispute. She obviously wasn't helping. "Hang on, Amun. Jake's fighting with Em again."

Amun's brows furrowed. "Where they causing all that noise? What were they doing throwing trees?"

Nessie giggled. "No, silly, their trying to see whose the fastest lumberjack."

Amun sat in stunned silence for a second. "Lumberjack?"

"Yup! It was Em's idea. He wanted Jasper to compete with him, but you know he took Auntie Alice to Paris." Nessie sighed. "I wish I could have gone too, but Jake said they needed another ref."

"What exactly are they doing?" came Amun's question.

"Oh, it's fun! They climb up to the top of a tree and chop it down in little pieces. The one who get to the bottom first wins!"

"Of course, how couldn't I have known that?" Amun replied sarcastically.

Nessie completely missing the sarcasm smiled. "You couldn't, obviously. This is just one of the competitions. You should have seen them yesterday. It was who could dress like a lumberjack fastest!"

Amun laughed as the mental picture of Emmett and Jake rapidly dressing in overalls and flannel shirts flashed across his mind. "I can't believe I missed that."

"Uh-oh," Nessie sighed.

"What?" Amun queried.

"Their throwing trees at each other again. I think Em cheated. I have to go help Rose break them up. Good luck. I won't tell anyone!"

Amun laughed as his sister hung up on him. Leah's confused eyes met his. "What did she say?" She asked.

"Jake and Emmett are insane."

Leah smirked. "I already knew that what did they do?"

"Their competing as lumberjacks for the week."

Leah looked at him in shock for a moment before she grinned again. "You not joking are you?"

"No." Amun shook his head as he laughed again.

"I can't believe his my Alpha." Leah sighed.

Amun had a brief flash of jealousy. "Come on. I don't want to talk about Jake."

Leah's eyes flashed from excitement to wild in a second. Amun's jealousy passed. She was his. "Let's get you fed. You have other more enjoyable responsibilities." She responded before dashing into the woods.

Amun smirked as he went on the chase.

-‡-

Case sighed as he looked at the pathetic collection of adult movies in the town's rental house. This is what he got for going to a small town. Everyone tried to appear decent. He sighed again as he noticed there was only one covered movie not checked out and he had already seen it over twenty times. What was the point of having cash if no one ever had movies?

He picked up the rental case and moved to the check out lane as his pone rang. Surprised, he flipped it open.

"Hello."

"_Case, do you know where Leah and Amun are?"_ Case couldn't stop the massive grin on his face. He didn't even care when the teen checking him out cringed back from him. So, Alice was getting desperate. It was only Monday. He almost felt bad for Jasper.

"Did you loose them?" He asked innocently, while trying not to laugh.

"_No, well," _Case snickered as his long time friend sighed. _"You know where they are don't you."_

"That will be $7.25." The teen reminded Case.

Case handed over the cash to the acne covered boy. "What makes you think I know where they are?" He asked Jasper.

"_Alice saw something about you a little while ago before it all went blank. You obviously aren't dead."_

Case's sly grin crossed his face as he took the video from the teen. "No, I'm not dead yet." He mused.

"_You know where they are." _It wasn't a question. Jasper was many things, but he wasn't stupid. Case was well aware of that, but taunting old friends didn't happen often. He had forgotten how much fun it could be.

"Maybe."

Jasper sighed over the phone while watching Alice hop around the store. Her emotions raging from excitement to worry so quickly that Jasper wondered if he would get dizzy off them. _"Just make sure they don't get into trouble."_

"If I see them, I will."

"_You know, you never did lie well to me."_

Case chuckled again. "You can read my emotions. What chance do I have?"

"_I can't read them over the phone."_

"Good point. Maybe I just suck at lying."

"_We both know that's not true." _Jasper responded wearily.

"If you say so." Case said as he got into the now vintage mustang he like to use when he had to pretend to be human.

"_I'm sure I will see you soon." _Was Jasper's parting words to the stubborn vampire that called him a friend. Right now, he wasn't sure if he liked the title.

"Looking forward to it." Case said as the line went dead. He couldn't help but laugh as he pulled out into traffic. Case was in a great mood. He looked at his clock. Realizing that had wasted enough daylight by searching for some form of entertainment in this normal town, he felt he could go bother, correction, _enchant_ his newest conquest. Maybe she would give in. He grinned to himself knowing it wouldn't be half as much fun if she did. By the look of loathing in her eyes, he would have his work cut out for him.

-‡-

While Case had spent the afternoon looking for visual pleasure, Susan had been busy with the Police Chief. She had only been off the phone for an hour before Tia had rung.

"What is it, Tia?" It wasn't noon, but it was close enough. Susan realized it much have been something important for Tia to bend a direct order.

"_Chief Washington is here to see you. I don't think he will wait."_

Susan grinned. She had always been fond of the Chief of Police. He was not a man to mess with nor was he patient.

"Send him in."

"_Yes, Miss Brennen."_

Police Chief Tyler Washington was an intimidating man. The bulk of his massive frame was made of pure muscle that he claimed he had built while 'on the job.' He was young for his position too, maybe only in his early thirties. No one, however, made the mistake of taking him lightly because his age. Susan knew he had a terse, direct manner that had meshed well with her own. She had not been surprised when he had been made Chief.

His stern hazel eyes met her melted gold without any hesitation. "Took you long enough."

Susan gave him a thin smile. It didn't matter that she liked the chief; she had rules of her own. "Sorry, Tyler, I was busy this morning. Did you spend it pestering Tia?"

His grunt was answer enough. "It was important."

Susan sobered. "What was it about?"

"That drug case. Did you get a chance to look over the files?"

Susan nodded. "It looked straight forward to me. Two individuals caught in possession of methamphetamine."

"We found more meth in the car."

"How much more?" Susan asked a little startled. A half a kilo of meth was nothing to joke about.

"Ten kilos hidden inside secret compartments as well as $20,000 dollars in cash inside the seats."

"That's impressive." Her mind was already processing what this change could mean. This wasn't a small operation if they had that much drug and cash. Was there a drug cartel near by that they had completely missed? She didn't think so. The county was one of the cleanest she had ever seen, at least in drug arrests. The dealers were either extremely luck or nonexistent in Divide.

"We had no idea. That new drug dog you kept pushing us to get caught it." Tyler can't understand why she had been so insistent for the dog. Drugs were not a problem in the county, but her persuasion had finally worn him down.

"I can't believe anyone would traffic that much at one time."

"They were cocky."

Susan pretended to look back through the documents. "Why were they pulled over again?"

"Tail light was out. Morse pulled them over. Recognized the driver as a local junky, but the passenger was too well dressed to be a friend. Morse asked to search the car. Found the half kilo in the glove compartment."

Tyler would have sworn she grinned like a feline. "We were lucky. Which way were they headed?"

"South."

"Do you think they crossed the border?"

"It's possible."

"So is that why you wanted to talk with me?"

"No, the FBI has taken over jurisdiction of it. They called me this morning. The passenger, Paul Police, is a person of interest with a drug trafficking ring they've been trying to bust lately." So her assumptions about the drug ring were correct.

"So, their going to take away your bust?"

"No, I don't care about legal crap. I just want the bastard in jail." His hard eyes held hers. "I want you to interview this Police guy for them."

"Why?" Susan wasn't a cop. She rarely had any business with that side of the law. It would have been a larger risk for exposure.

"You always get the truth. Even now, there's no way anyone can lie to you. If he's as big a member of this drug ring as they say he is, you can talk him into telling you everything, including their main base of operations. It would be a waist not to use you."

Susan nodded before giving him a small, but genuine smile. "Its nice to be needed."

The Chief snorted. "If I couldn't give him to you in court, this was the next best thing."

"When will they come in?"

"Sometime tomorrow. I'll give you a call."

"Thanks, Chief. I will see you then."

The Chief gave her a rare grin before waving and leaving. "Don't be late." He called over his shoulder as he left.

"You know I won't." Susan replied as the door swung shut.

She grinned to herself as she thought over the day. It had been extremely productive despite the horrible start. She wasn't sure how she was going to deal with the rogue. Her hatred of him had not dimmed in the slightest, but now she knew to be wary. She wasn't overly pleased with her existence, but there was no way in hell she had a death wish.

His licentious ways made her stomach curl in disgust. She had been brought up with a completely different view of how a true man should act. Just because human's views had been changing over the last century did not mean her view had changed. She had to come up with some way to get him out of her house without having sex with him.

_Not that he isn't attractive,_ her mind decided to remind her. She hated it, but he was probably the most attractive male she had ever seen. She wasn't stupid enough to deny the physical attraction, but she could fight that. Anyone could fight physical attraction. His inner beauty certainly wasn't helping his cause. He probably hadn't had a pure thought in his mind since birth. His single minded focus on sex was disgusting and abhorrent.

She just had no idea how to get him to leave.

She pushed the unresolved problem out of her head. She decided to spend the rest of the afternoon carefully planning how she would interrogate this Police man. She gave a small laugh at the irony. Wasn't her life just full of it? It sure seemed like to be the case recently. She knew she could just ask the questions, and he would be forced to answer, but that would only draw (more) unwanted attention to her. She would have to start out small and charm her way in (or pretend to). Hopefully, it would give the illusion of working. Maybe she should were a V neck shirt and skirt tomorrow to add to the look. It wouldn't hurt. The forecast had been cloudy with a high chance of rain for the rest of the week, so she should be safe. She would wear black tights just in case.

The buzz of her phone knocked her from her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"_Miss Brennen, I can't stop him. He's-"_ the Red Eye pushed through the glass door with a smirk on his face. Tia sighed before ended dejectedly: _"coming in."_

"I can see that, Tia. Thank you for the warning."

"_I'm sorry, Miss Brennen."_

Susan didn't answer. She just stared down the ass who still shoe and shirtless was standing nonchalantly in her office.

"Get out."

"Haven't we had this conversation before?" He joked.

_Damn him._ He had to be the most persistent ass ever.

* * *

Please tell me what you think. I really, really enjoy reviews. [ There like fuel for the writer's soul] I also enjoy smily faces [ :) ] if you can't use words. jk. Well, I'll stop babbling now. I hoped you liked it and will be working on the next part soon. Scouts honor! TG


	4. The Fire

AN: ahahahaha... So, I did say that updates wouldn't be all that regular. I do apologize for this one though. It was way, way longer in making than I expected. Granted in three weeks I did create 2 chapters for this story, unfortunately, one of them (the truth) doesn't actually happen until the very end of the story. Yeah, so technically, it only took two weeks to create this chatper. I hope that you like it. I was going to be longer then I realized just how long it was and decided that was a big no. It was seventeen pages, granted I wasn't usually usual font, but still!

I also have to apologize again. I said at the beginning that this would be a lighter story. ahahaha.... It seems that I have a problem creating light hearted stories. My characters shaped themselves out with some pretty hard core pasts, so I do apologize if this starts to take a more serious tone. It wasn't intended, but it did happen. Now that I have the story planted firmly in my mind, I can't see it any other way, so you will just have to forgive a seriously strange girl. Granted, I am a huge fan of happily ever after, so everyone involved (*cough* except bad people *cough*) will get their own version. I promise.

OH! One more reminder. This is rated MATURE for a reason. It is rather lemony in this chapter (and most likely in the chapters to come) so please don't read it if a) you are underage! I don't want to be responsible for corrupting the youth of today! b) that style of writing insults you. I do not want to be flamed if you read knowing what was going to come (no pun intended). Helpful criticism is not the same as a flat out flame. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, themes, or plots of the Twilight Saga. I also do not own the lyrics to the following songs: "Ring of Fire," "Johnny and June," or "Great Balls of Fire." I do how ever claim all things not listed above as from my own mind (and the mind of my muse).

* * *

3: The Fire

Leah never could get enough of watching Amun hunt. She supposed it was the wolf side of her reacting to his own animalistic nature that made her respond the way she did. Regardless, Leah was finding it exceedingly difficult to keep from jumping him as he stalked the deer herd.

His lithe muscles rippled under his almost unyielding flesh as he moved down wind of his prey. Their tantalizing scents drew him in, pushing the tenuous control that kept his beast at bay. The whispering purr from deep inside of him promised pleasure if it was released, if was given free reign, but Amun was no fool. He saw the human female the beast inside him lusted after. She was an innocent receptionist, and he would not condemn her to death, especially not when he had a deer herd completely unaware of his insatiable need for their blood. No, he knew his control was solid. Once again he thanked the higher being that had allowed him to favor deer above all non-human mammals. It made life so much easier.

He took in another deep breath inhaling the heady scents drifting towards him before he released a little more of his hold. The beast inside him praised his choice as Amun's body lurched for its long overdue meal.

His attack was precise, quick, and ruthless. Despite the dark nature of what she was watching, Leah felt her body responding to him. He had downed the largest buck in a matter of seconds snapping its neck with fluid grace that proved he was not as human as he looked. The second buck followed not a second later. In its panic, the deer herd ran towards the tree she was hiding in. She could have moved in for the kill too, phasing for an easy meal, but Leah did not enjoy eating in wolf form. She enjoyed watching Amun.

The second deer dropped to the floor, drained, with a small thump. Leah watched enraptured as Amun's teeth tore into the first's pelt. Her breath was pushed from her lungs as his eyes met hers. She could merely stare as his black empty pupils receded from the rich chocolate of Amun's irises.

Amun had just finished his first deer when the bloodlust haze was pushed back. His senses reached out around him, scanning for enemies, scanning for 'real' prey. It was just as the tantalizing taste of the second deer hit his tongue that an equally heady scent slammed into his hyper senses. _Arousal. _His eyes flicked up to see his mate. His eyes took in her image as he finished sating his thirst, a thirst of a different kind pushing to be released now.

The deer lay forgotten on the ground as he went to claim his mate, again.

-‡-

Susan was at a loss. Was he dense? By the extremely annoying glint of humor in his horrid red eyes, he knew exactly what he was doing. So what was it then? Did he get a kick out of pushing her past her patience? If he did, she wasn't at all sure she would be able to keep herself in check. Her rules were solid, if she could just get away from him she would be fine, but the ass wouldn't leave her alone.

What options did that leave her with? He wanted to have sex with her. Obviously, he thought of her as some sort of sexual conquest. Also obviously, the easiest way to get rid of him was to let him win. _HELL NO!_ She sighed in exasperation. Why did she have to have a moral compass? Life would be so much easier if she could just bed him and move on. She knew from hard earned experience that life was far from fair, but just this once it seemed that she was in control of the choice, and she still wouldn't pick the easy way out. She just couldn't do it.

Why? It was the last remaining bits of her human life affecting her. She had had devout religious views as a child. She had never stood a chance with the number of times the Bible was read in her family home. Even after her change, the underlying belief system had remained. It was too ingrained for even the burning pain to destroy. So she was now stuck between a proverbial rock and a hard place.

She refused to give and he was not going to stop until he got his way or moved on.

"If I tell you that you're _never _going to get to have sex with me will you leave me alone?" Susan asked bluntly.

"Nope." His forced answer came from him. If he was frustrated with having to answer her questions, he did not show it. In fact, the rogue looked like he enjoyed the forced honesty. With a shake of her head, she realized that he did enjoy it. How did anyone handle with someone like this?

"How was your day?" He asked conversationally as he leaned against the wall of her office.

Susan looked at him questioningly. _What the hell did he care about my day?_ Her eyes shifted as understanding came to her.

"If you think showing interest in my every day affairs will get you closer to my bed you had better think again." She practically glared at him. Honestly! Didn't he think about _something _other than sex?

His masculine grin took her back a little. "Awe, come one, Susie. You're so harsh."

Her eyes narrowed at the nickname. Hate and guilt swirled deep inside her and she cursed him again. "Do _not _call me that."

He apparently caught the sharp notes in her voice. His gaze upon her face was far more searching than comfortable. For some reason, his eyes seemed to pierce through her. She wondered vaguely if he understood her better than she had thought. Roughly she pushed that odd thought away. He did not understand anything about her.

"I talked to one of my contacts today." He raised an eyebrow in interest, allowing the change of topics. "He said he would send the supplies for the marriage certificate in express mail today. I should have it by Wednesday at the latest."

"Good. Amun and Leah will be pleased." He responded. She noted the genuine look on pleasure on his face. Not for the first time she wondered how on earth someone like this rogue could have become involved with them.

He noted the confusion on her face because he questioned her. "What is it?"

"I just find it odd that you and those two are acquainted."

He chuckled, and she noted it was deep and easy on her ears. One could get used to hearing it. She slapped herself mentally again. Honestly, she wasn't a teenager. So the man was physically attractive. Her eyes raked over his exposed, scarred chest quickly noting that he was beyond 'physically attractive' before she slammed the door shut on those thoughts too. She must be getting desperate if she was falling for a red eye.

"It's a long story." His face twisted a little. Was that regret, on his face? Despite her strict mental rules, she was intrigued. She didn't know that _he _would ever do something that would cause such a look. She wanted to know what it was.

"Oh? I have time." She probed wanting him to give the information she sought freely.

His amused, _red _(she kept having to remind herself) eyes glanced at her noting her hesitant curiosity. He grinned. _Progress!_If it helped him get through her concrete barriers, he could cave.

"How much do you know about me?" He asked her. Her golden eyes surveyed him, assessing why he had asked such a question. He almost sighed. She really needed to learn how to relax. He grinned more to himself than to her because he planned on making her relax whether she wanted too or not.

"Enough." Was her reply, noncommittal, he might add.

Susan watched as he pushed off from the wall. "Come on, play ball." He said with a wry twist of his lips.

Susan had to force her eyes away from them. She was becoming more and more irritated with herself as this went on. "I did a little research on you."

He chuckled. _That was fast._ He thought. "What did you learn?" He asked curiously.

She gave him a leveling stare. "I know about you ability." She responded.

His eyebrow twitched up in response. She knew he could kill her, and she still continued resisting. Oddly enough, he found himself pleased she wasn't throwing herself at his feet hoping to make up for resisting his advances earlier. How long had it been since that had happened? Spineless women never really did it for him. Fear wasn't something he wanted in bed. "Not afraid I'm going to burn you to ashes?" He quipped.

She let out a frustrated breath as if having to explain it to him was a major annoyance. He grinned at her. She was sexy when her eyes got that infuriated look in them.

"No, I assumed you wanted my bed before you killed me." _Smart girl_.

"Bingo. We have a winner." She noted with trepidation that his distracting lips formed into a predatory smile. It irked her to realize she was staring at his lips (again), and yet, she didn't stop. There were hints of cruelty there, a hardness that showed his unforgiving nature. She found herself trapped by the honesty of his face. He wasn't virtuous, and he didn't try to hide it. She supposed she could respect that. "Do you want you prize?" His voice was that deep rumble again.

Susan moved her gaze from his taunting lips to his (RED) eyes. She felt a flush an indignant irritation flash through her. She was not going to be tempted by him anymore. She was going to play him back and see how he liked it. "Do I get to choose?" She asked as her head lowered just enough for her golden gaze to look up from underneath her dark, heavy lashes.

"Hell yes." Case grinned as he stood up and moved around the desk. That look, God help him, she should been banned from giving looks like that. Her one look had excited his other brain to beyond capacity. The little tease was going to ease his renewed erection, that much was certain. He didn't even realize in his current state how little it had taken her to excite him. If he had, he might have wondered…

She laughed, a mocking laugh, at him before shaking her head. "Men," the word was flown from her lips like a curse.

He closed the difference between them quickly. He wasn't letting her get out of this. Oh no, if that minx thought that she could tease him like that and get away with it she was sadly mistaken. Two could play that game. "I am not a man." He corrected her as he invaded her personal space.

Susan looked up into his red eyes unable to hide her curiosity. Of course he was a man. Being changed into a vampire did not change his sex. What would possess him to say something like that? _Do you really want to know?_ Some wary part of her mind questioned. There was a look in his eye, something she didn't understand, something she didn't recognize. "What are you then?" Her voice, he noted, for the first time was hesitant.

The rogue's mouth brushed against the shell of her ear, teasing her, taunting her. She froze at the intimate touch between them as his answer rolled across her. "I'm a demon."

She pushed him away, struggling to get some space between them. Confusion ripped through her as she studied him in shock. His eyes, they held no regret, no sadness, not guilt. She only saw acceptance. He truly thought he was a demon, and he wasn't upset about it. There was a resigned air about him as he met her questioning gaze. _He doesn't care?_ How could anyone say they were a demon without emotion?

Her flustered mind flew out an answer. _He is not a demon._ That thought startled her, confused her again. Her mind sought to justify the stray words that she knew she believed. Why did she not believe him even when he believed the words himself?

Of course he was merciless. He killed innocent humans for his nourishment. He had sex with women and probably killed a few of them afterward if some of those scars were indications. He was her antithesis, everything she stood against. Despite all that, she still couldn't see him as a demon.

_Why?_ The sane, logical side of her brain questioned furiously. This was not something she was prepared for. She hated him. Didn't she? Didn't she?! Susan backed away from him slowly. She felt venerable for the first time in almost one hundred years. Strange thoughts, smiling, laughing, _emotion,_ it was too strange for her, for one who had denied herself such things. What was it about him that pushed through her self-imposed barriers? What was it about him that made her feel alive? She sucked in a breath of horror at that last thought. He was more dangerous that she had thought. Frustrated at herself she pushed such things away.

She didn't like where her thoughts were leading her. The conclusions she could draw from them frightened her beyond belief. She couldn't afford _affection. _Not her, she was far too dangerous. She wanted to hate him. Life was much simpler when she hated him. She took another step backwards. _I do hate him._ The diatribe continued in her head. She was fighting against something she did not realize she would have to fight. _He's a red eye, Susan, get it together. _

He was gagging her reaction. It dawned on her as she slipped from her mental thoughts. He watched her analytically, so different from the sloppy sex-fiend her office had recently housed. _Was it all an act?_ Her mind was going into overload. She suddenly felt like she was in way over her head. She couldn't justify the calculating, composed look with the mocking, amused eyes from earlier. Were they even the same person? _Was he playing me all along?_ Fury pushed through her then. She latched onto it grateful for the familiar emotion. This was all truly just a game for him, some sort of amusement to pass his eternity.

Case noticed the sharp glint take the place of the muddle confusion, almost lost look in her eyes. He almost grinned. What on earth was she thinking about now? He honestly couldn't get any good read on her. She was truly a mystery, granted, a long legged, golden eyed mystery that made him want to bend her over a desk… But if there was one thing Case was it was persistent, and patient. Well, he was working on the patient part.

Her luscious mouth opened in what Case guessed would be a stern rebuke about what conclusion she had just drawn in the hot head of hers. Her response was interrupted by a beep from her phone. Case frowned at the unwanted interruption. He enjoyed their abetted short verbal spars.

Susan's hands went quickly to the phone out of habit, unconsciously drawling her thoughts away from the vampire in the room with her. "Yes?"

"_Miss Brennen? There is someone on the phone for you."_ Tia's voice came through the speaker. _"Should I patch them through?"_

"Did they give a name?" Susan asked, a furrow forming between her eyebrows.

"_No, I'm sorry."_

Susan paused, considering, for a second before she gave the okay.

"Hello, this is Susan Brennen."

"_Stay away from the drug trafficking case if you want to live." _A gruff masculine voice warned quickly.

Susan was given no time to form a question before the line went dead. The dull beeping of the receiver echoed oddly in her office. She blinked slowly as her mind processed this different strain of thought. Had she just been threatened by a human? The idea was so comical she couldn't hold in the brief chuckle.

Case raised an eyebrow at her when she started laughing. Death threats generally didn't make someone laugh. Well it was fairly harmless. No human could ever harm a vampire. Her amused eyes turned to him. If he had found himself intrigued by her flashing, angry eyes, he was completely unprepared for the strange sensations her laughing, amused eyes ignited inside of him. He frowned at the odd familiarity of being locked in those eyes. He wasn't sure he liked it, but he shrugged it off as too many nights with only movies for company before a new idea hit him. He smirked. _This is perfect._

Susan knew she was in trouble when it looked like a massive light had clicked on above his head. He was plotting something, and she knew she wasn't going to like it.

"Looks like you need protection." He grinned at her. She ignored the urge to stare at his lips and groaned in defeat. _What's the use in arguing anymore?_

"I can take care of myself." She responded hotly.

His sly smile annoyed her further. "I'm sure you can."

"As in, I do not need a body guard." She rephrased.

He was back to the playboy she noted as his eyes laughed at her. "Of course you don't."

"You've got to be the most-" she began before she stopped.

"What?" He asked curiously.

She blinked up at him, apparently surprised, before her amused smirk lifted her lips. "Words literally fail me."

His head fell back and his deep laugh filled her office. Before she could help it, she was smiling back at him. _Damn, the bastard. _

-‡-

"Well?"The voice was clipped and professional as he answered the phone call.

"_I di-did it. Do I get'em now?"_ The gruff voice pleaded over the phone. He was on edge, he needed a fix.

"No, you still have to finish. Did you remember to buy what I asked?" The unforgiving voice questioned. The underlying menace clearly stated no was not an answer.

"_I did!"_

"Finish the job and you'll get your reward." He snapped the phone shut before his harsh laugh was let out. Junkies were too easy.

He slipped back into the station before waving cordially and moving towards the cells. No one questioned him, no one noticed him that is until he was in front of the bars.

"What is it?" The huge mountain of a man questioned.

He smirked, his badge flashing in the faint light. "Mr. Sunshine, I can't believe you allowed yourself to get caught." One of his scathing eyes assessed the quivering lump trying to hide in the corner. "With a lackey no less." He mocked.

Mr. Sunshine snorted. "Not my fault your contacts weren't at the meeting point." He responded nearly monotone. "Heard my driver was holed up in jail after getting in a bar fight. I can't wait to hear you explain that to the boss. Not to mention your faulty information."

"I gave perfect information." The man sneered, a faint twitch starting in one eye.

"Oh?" The lump responded, unperturbed. "I'm curious as to why I'm in here if there weren't any cops there?"

The other man's eyes flashed angrily. "He wouldn't have pulled you over if the car was in good shape."

"I don't see how _your _lackey's car condition is my fault."

It was the officer's turn to snort. "I came here to give you your last warning."

"Warning?"

"Ever heard of Susan Brennen?" The officer almost, _almost,_ laughed in glee. He never laughed.

Mr. Sunshine's eyebrow rose, but in the darkness it wasn't seen. "Should I have?"

"If she shows up tomorrow for your interrogation, you will die."

"She wouldn't break me." He answered a faint trace of annoyance in his voice.

Officer smirked before his dark chuckle filled the almost empty jail cells. It was just too good for him to hold in. The trembling blob in the corner huddled closer to himself.

"She breaks everyone."

With his warning given, officer moved back towards the door. His smirk grew in the silence. He had always hated that monotone bastard. Now, he could finally get rid of him, hopefully. He held little faith in the junky anyway. Susan Brennen was not one to be intimidated, even if it would be more convenient for her to disappear.

"Even you?" The monotone voice shot back ominously as officer's hand clutched the door knob. He fought back the flush of anger and hastily left, ignoring the deep, satisfied chuckles coming from the prisoner behind him.

-‡-

She was in trouble, and she knew it. Leah was no fool. She knew that when Amun got that specific look in his eyes that she was going to be out of her mind with pleasure before he was through with her. That didn't mean she wasn't worried. The last time that had happened… she shuddered as she remembered literally passing out for several mind numbed hours from the intensity of what he did to her.

He was in the tree before she could even blink. His warm body so close she could feel his massive body heat pushing against her, enveloping her instead of his body. The glint in his eyes was gone before she could even process or grieve its loss. Instead, his lips connected with such gentle caresses she wondered if he was the same person. His palm cupped her check with trembling fingers as if she wasn't even real. Startled, she closed the gap separating them, proving to him she was there even if she didn't know what was wrong. This was so unlike him.

Amun couldn't understand what had happened, maybe it was his strange nine year-old body reasserting that he wasn't as mature as his mind, but at that moment, he was scared that she would leave him. Was it pre-wedding jitters? Or was it some odd fear that now that she was officially tying herself to him that she would realize that he was really nine years old, a mere child? How could she be happy with him? For that one second, he couldn't believe that she was. The fears spiked inside of him and drove away his common sense. He had to touch her, prove to himself that she was still here, and he did.

She broke the surprisingly innocent kiss to meet his warm eyes with her own worried ones. "What is it?" She asked hesitantly, her hand moving to his face automatically.

Her touch on his face brought him out of whatever had possessed him. He gave a mild snort before meeting her eyes abashedly, worried that she would be upset at his lack of faith in her. "I just couldn't believe you were mine."

She gave her own snort as a sly grin raised the corners of her mouth upwards. Her eyes flashed with suppressed laughter. "I do believe you have that wrong." She paused to see his increasingly worried expression before finishing. "I do believe that _you _are _mine._" She finished curling her hands tightly in the base of his curly hair.

His sexy grin told her she had succeeded in getting him back on track. She didn't want him to be worried about such a trivial, unfounded worry, especially when she was pulsing for him.

"Oh?" Her mind was gleeful at the glazed look of lust in his eyes. "I thought you liked me _dominate_."

She had no hope of quelling the rush of liquid heat his last word pushed into her abdomen. It wasn't like she wanted to in the first place, but she could at least play along, for a little while, before she gave in to it. "I can't remember. It's been so long."

His deep laugh reverberated through her body as he drew her closer and pressed his moist lips to her ear. His breath fanned gently over the sensitive appendage. "That was only 13 hours ago, Leah."

A rush of images reminding her exactly what they were doing the previous night proved that it had probably been less than that. "Double digits are too long." She scolded him.

"Really?" He questioned against the soft, fragrant skin of her neck. Gooseflesh prickled up and down her arms as he sucked her into his mouth. She nodded as he released her neck in favor of planting butterfly kisses to the area instead. She moaned her annoyance at his fleeting touches, teasing lips. The almost nonexistent kisses was pushing her sensitivity through the roof but denying her any relief from the growing heat inside her instead merely feeding the pulsing heat torturously slow. "How can I make it up to you?" He asked as he slipped the overly large tee-shirt off her shoulder to plant the light kisses there instead.

"Stop teasing me." She growled as her hands, still fisted in his hair, clinched tightly.

He chuckled at her forcefulness before gripping her hands and forcing them behind her back, anchored there by one of his massive hands. "That reminds me," her eyes went wide as she simultaneous cursed and praised her choice of words. "I haven't given you your punishment yet."

She was pinned to the trunk of the tree quickly. Her oversized shirt ripped from her upper body. She snarled at him. He was rapidly depleting the scant few shirts she had remaining. "I'm running out of shirts." She complained as the ripped material was used to fasten her hands behind her back. They both knew the restraints were just reminders. She could easily break them.

"Good," was his only response as his lips nipped lower on her skin.

Her laugh was breathless and short lived as his tongue moved to lap at her exposed breasts. Leah arched into his warm mouth inviting him to explore more, begging for his touch on her skin.

Her racy bra was removed more gently only because Amun was found of the scrap of lace. He ignored her pleas as he kissed, nipped, and sucked everywhere except the hardened, raised peeks that begged for his touch. Leah could feel the liquid heat of her center branching out, engulfing her, heating her entire body, searching for a release. Her face was flush with need as he continued to torment her. Her breasts were too hard, almost painful for his relieving touch, yet he denied her. She groaned again as the tortured buds were suddenly stimulated by a passing wind. Shivers raced across her skin as she arched in pleasure.

Amun's moist mouth was suddenly hovering over one of her breasts. His hot breath fanned over her sensitized flesh as she arched as much as she could, trying to get some relief from the hot pulsing that ached for him. He chuckled sending more heat onto her skin.

"Amun, please." Her strained voice pleaded as he hovered over her, not touching, waiting.

"Beg," was his husky reply.

Her eyes snapped open to look into his lust darkened orbs. They glinted in the dying sun like pools of molten metal. Her body shook with the need for relief. The fire of her arousal was too hot for her body. She felt like she was going to be driven out of her mind if he didn't end this soon.

She screamed as his teeth scrapped over her distended peek. Her body shook in a small orgasm as the fleeting stimulation was taken away. She was nearly sobbing for relief.

"Beg." He demanded again, hovering over her flushed breasts, waiting like a lion for his prey.

She bit her lip to keep silent, needing relief, but enjoying his torturous touch too much to end it. Amun's grin was wolfish as one of his hands pinched her raised nipple. He watched enraptured as her eyes shot open to the heavens, her mouth opening in a silent scream, her cheeks flushing at his touch, savoring the affects of his touch on her body.

"_Amun!"_ He inhaled again and noticed the extra flood of her arousal signally once again he had sent her over the edge just from a brief touch to her breast. His straining erection reminded him he couldn't keep this up for long. She was too responsive for him to deny his own need for much longer.

Her face fell forward to rest on his shoulder. Her body heaved in breath, laboring under the strain that her brief pleasure had not been able to dim. She needed him inside of her, filling the empty part of her soul that yearned for him.

"Please." She gasped out against his neck. Her lips connecting to his chest without her conscious knowledge, seeking to touch his body, to taste him.

"What do you want, Leah?" His body had moved against hers as his lips now tormented the flesh of her ear. His smooth chest brushing against her with her every breath, raising her closer still to the brink of insanity.

Her mind was so far gone with pleasure it took her a few seconds to even string a reply to his comment. "You, Amun, I need you, now, _please._"

He smirked as he pushed his body closer to hers. Leah could feel the hardness of his erection through all the layers between them. She moved her hands forward to rid them of the barriers before the cloth stopped her. She growled at the restraints he had used against her, her teeth nipped his neck in anger. She wanted to touch him; her mind was consumed only with thoughts of him sating the thirst deep inside her.

His guttural growl echoed throughout the clearing after her hasty antics at his neck. Leah sucked in a breath as the clothing covering her core was suddenly gone, exposing her to the night chill. She cried out into the night when one hot digit entered her liquid center.

"You're so wet, Leah." He breathed against her neck as his other hand fondled her breast.

Leah's head was back against the bark of the tree, her body arching to him. Her mind so overcome with passion she couldn't even register his words. Her body was shaking as he added another finger to her core. They twisted inside of her, slipping in and out easily, bringing both relief and heightened, frantic pleasure to her waiting body. It was too much for her to take as his thumb rubbed the sensitive bundle of nerves. The stimulation to her frazzled brain was the last straw holding her to sanity. Her cry of release was stifled when his mouth covered hers. His tongue slipping in greedily.

Leah couldn't keep up as his hands continued their assault, never slowing their maddening stimulation. Her body couldn't fight off the delirious pleasure as he brought her to another orgasm only seconds after his fingers elicited their first. Her mind still too high to notice his sudden lose of contact.

She was however aware of a large something brushing against her heat only seconds later. She moved her hands again to try and help it to its proper place when the bonds again reminded her of the rules. He wanted to laugh at her helplessness, but his own need was too much to deny any longer. His hand grasped the hard muscle as his knee spread her legs wide. She wrapped one long, toned leg around his hip to give him better access before he slipped easily in despite his thickness. She was just too slick to have any resistance to him.

Amun fought off the urge to release the moment he was sheathed inside of her hot core. Her muscles were still rippling in aftershocks of her orgasms massaging him almost past endurance, but if Amun was anything it was a man of restraint. He stilled himself inside of her while he caught his breath and gained some semblance of control.

Leah was having none of that as she began to rock against him as much as possible. Her leg pushing him towards her, sinking him farther inside her, filling her full. Amun wasted no more time before he was impaling her further and further along his shaft.

His short, rapid thrusts hit the perfect spot deep inside of her that was rapidly sending her toward the brink of insanity again. She had enough pride left inside of her to want to bring him with her this time. She clamped down on him hard when he entered her again. His groan was music to her ears as she noticed his pause. Amun almost lost it when her already tight core constricted unbearably tight, squeezing, ordering him to release himself inside of her. Knowing he wouldn't survive another thrust, his hand snaked down to her bundle of nerves again. As he thrust in as deep as he could, brushing against her very womb, he pinched the sensitive nerves. The flood of hot liquid around his shaft combined with her muscles clamping him inside of her shattered the remnant of control he had as he finally released inside of her. Their cries mingled together in the fading twilight.

Their bodies drained of all strength slipped from the limbs of the tree they had just made passionate love in. Leah managed a mumble of protest as they fell to the forest floor. Amun twisted, caging her within his arms as he landed on the grass. He laughed, but it was choked off as the impact pushed him further inside her body. She panted against his sweaty neck, trying to remain conscious. There was something she wanted to say.

"Amun?" Her voice was the barest whisper in the wind.

He grunted too tired to answer.

"You are not allowed to do that again." She admonished him.

He chuckled. "What part?"

Her head shifted pressing her ear to his thundering heart. "Make love in a tree." She murmured as her hand ghosted over his defined arms.

"Go to sleep." He ordered her as his hand caressed her raven's black hair as it fanned across his chest. Her breathing even out not even a minute later as her core continued to ripple against his limp member still sheathed inside of her. His dark cinnamon, sated, eyes looked at the hazy sky above him noting the few stars that had made it passed the growing cloud cover. He inhaled the musky scent of the forest he loved so much separating out Leah's scent as well as the faint smell of gasoline. _We must be nearer to people than I had first thought. _With that thought, Amun too lost himself to the oblivion of sleep.

-‡-

"_I fell into a burning ring of fire_

_I went down, down, down_

_And the flames went higher._

_And it burns, burns, burns,_

_The ring of fire,_

_The ring of –"_

Susan quickly mashed for the second programmed station, an all too human tick starting in one eye.

"FIRE!" Case finished with a sly grin towards Susan. She glared in turn before shifting as close to the door of the car as possible, noting with pleasure that the lyrics to the female's song were about concerts and country music. "Not a Johnny Cash fan?" He questioned her innocently.

She choked on her scathing reply when the lyrics turned far from what she had expected.

"_-June,_

_Rings of fire,_

_Burning with you,_

_I wanna-"_

She pushed the seek button this time not wanting to know how the sentence ended while pointedly ignoring the rogue's nearly silent snickering.

"_Goodness, gracious!_

_Great balls of fi-"_

With a small cry of frustration, Susan hit the power button unfazed that she had dinted the plastic button in the process only pleased that the horrid music had ended. She missed Case's frown as he surveyed the damage to his stereo system. She was busy sulking (though she would never admit it) out the window annoyed that he had managed to get her in his car in the first place.

"_You drive that?" He exclaimed as they entered the parking garage._

_She frowned, a tiny movement of her lips, while pushing the keyless entry. The flashing of the nondescript car proved his question's answer._

"_What is wrong with my car?" _

"_It's old!" Was his answer._

_Susan scoffed at him as she looked towards his vintage mustang. _

"_So is yours." She responded pointedly. _

"_Yes," he sighed out exasperatedly, "but mine is a _classic._ Yours is a _Taurus."

_Susan saw no problem with her car. "It serve's its function, and it doesn't stand out." She said as she looked over his convertible black car._

_He frowned at her logic. "You're not using that car."_

"_You do not order me, rogue," her quiet voice warned._

_He gave her his best mischievous grin before holding up an index finger. _

_She looked puzzled at the cement ceiling before turning her eyes back toward him. She hissed a warning as a flame leapt into life above his upturned finger. His eyes seemed to flicker like the flame. "I could torch your car; then you would have to ride with me."_

"_No!" She glared at him. "Do not light my car on fire."_

_The flame flickered out. Susan stood from her defensive stance but eyed the rogue warily. _

"_Let me drive you home, and your car lives." He said like a mafia member holding a hostage._

_Susan wasn't particularly fond of her car, but there were perfectly logical reasons why she did not want to see it go up in flames. For one, cars had gas tanks, and gas was highly flammable. Due to her carefulness, the care always had plenty of gas. She did not look forward to dodging flaming projectiles. Second, she did not want to have to answer to the police/fire department that would come calling once they noticed the flames. Lastly, she really just did not want to bother with buying another car. She wasn't planning to stay in Divide County long enough to pay off a standard 3 or 5 year loan, so she would have to pay up front or at least pay it off quickly. She did not look forward to showing she had money to spare, rule #2._

_Frustrated beyond belief and trapped by her own rules, she conceded._

"_You will not light my car on fire." She warned one final time as she moved towards the (in his opinion) more suitable car. Case followed after her using the rare moment to enjoy her backside._

Susan pushed her hair away from her face again. She still couldn't believe the risks the rogue took. Not only did his black vintage mustang stand out, it was also a convertible. The risk of exposure owning a car like that was much higher than it needed to be. She was just thankful that the sun sank early in the north.

Susan inhaled the cool night air. It smelled overwhelmingly of fur trees, budding flowers (the few that bloomed in North Dakota), and mildly of smoke. Susan snapped to attention. Smoke meant fire; fire meant danger. Who would be having a fire so late at night? She turned towards the rogue beside her.

"Did you set any fires?" She asked sharply trying to dismiss the growing feeling of dread.

"No," was his instantaneous reply before he added, "I can control myself."

"Do you smell the smoke?"

"Of course, there's a fire just north of here."

Case watched bewildered as she leapt from the moving (80 miles per hour) mustang and dashed to the north. With a quick curse, he pressed the accelerator and tried to keep up with her.

Susan was fighting off panic. Logic was trying to reassert itself. It could just be a brush fire or a trash fire. Plenty of people burnt trash here. Not that she had many neighbors. She pushed that thought away trying to remain calm as she whipped through the trees towards her house. She refused to admit that the smoke was thicker as she pushed forward.

Not even a minute later she slammed to a stop looking horrified at the sight of her burning home. She took an instant step forward thinking only about her chair before her instincts took over. She stood rooted to the spot as her new home was destroyed before her.

She blinked and suddenly it wasn't Divide County, it was Houston, Texas. She stood transfixed as her past reasserted itself in her mind. Every function stopped as guilt and sorrow flooded her system; she literally stopped breathing.

Case followed the trail with expert ease growing more worried by the second. The thick black smoke was rising from exactly where his mustang was taking him. He focused more on the fire, but since he could not visualize it, he could not stop it. He would have to have it in his sites first. Seconds later the trees cleared enough for him to see the rising flames. Instantly he commanded the fames to die. The car stopped a second later, and he was standing beside the completely transfixed Susan Brennen.

Her face was set in fear. It was the first time he had seen it look like that. Her wide eyes stared vacant at the still smoking house.

-‡-

"_Is it true, Master Case?" The fearful eyes of the dark skinned child looked upon him tentatively. "Are you a demon?"_

_

* * *

_

Ok! There you go! Please review. I would love to know what you think of this chapter. I took forever for me to get it the way I wanted it! So please tell me what you think. Tg.


	5. The Child

AN: Well, it has been awhile. I have recently started my new job for the summer and gosh darn! I have to work!! *sigh* That along with this ridiculously hard chapter meant it would take a while. I'll be honest. I wasn't going to give Case a full chapter for his past. I was just going to kinda 'skim' with him having 'reflection time,' but my muse had a fit saying if Susan got a whole chapter he needed one too. So after lots and lots of thought, I finally finished it.

I hope that you like this chapter. I do have a tendency for giving really sad back stories, so be prepared. Its a little sad. *cough* Ok a lot sad, but it makes him into what he is, ya know? Anyway, Bella Swan is the only now vampire who had a good past, so I'm not going too far off par by this story! Ok enough ranting. I know you have waited, or not.

I was a little suprised to get no feedback on the last chapter. Suprisingly, I thought it was my best one of this story. *snort* Oh well, just shows how much I know... I wouldn't mind knowing what y'all are thinking, but if that's not possible, I suppose I will live. So now that I've given my normally massive AN I will leave you all in peace. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, plots, or themes of the Twilight Saga. All rites (AH! is that the correct one? There are so many: writes, rites, rights, ect! *cough* sorry) to the Twilight Saga belong to Mrs. Meyer. Me = poor. Please do not sue! I have also quoted passages from the Bible. The passage is Proverbs 2: 12-15. If you wanted to look it up. I obviously don't own it either.

* * *

4: The Child

_Langston Plantation, Georgia 1790_

It was a quiet evening. Anyone would have told you so afterwards. Jonathan's strong voice could be heard echoing through the impressive Georgian plantation. The family was gathered in the den listening to the written word of the Lord as they always did at night. Lynn's hands were folded gently in her lap as she listened intently to her husband.

_"... Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong, and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and ..."_

Her pale hands clinched as her eyes darted over to her only child. A shiver of terror tore through her as she realized his darkened ember eyes were not focused on his father, but at the fireplace. _Wicked. Evil. Demon._ She clinched her fists tighter against the invading thoughts. Her son was not a demon. He was not evil. He was an innocent child.

She had tried to talk to Jonathan about the whispered rumors amongst the slaves, but he had dismissed her. As much as it pained her, she could not stop their vicious lies. The result: they grew.

His wide, child-like eyes met her loving green ones. He couldn't understand the lost look in his mother's eyes, but her gentle smile appeased his curiosity. He grinned back unable to see that the reassurance did not reach those deep green eyes.

His fleeting attention turned away from his mother back to the captivating flames. Case didn't know why he liked them so much. He just did. They matched his eyes – or at least the tips of them did. He was tempted like always to reach out and touch them, to feel the magic of them. His little hand moved from his lap for a moment before he quickly put it back down. His mother's terrified warning echoed through his mind.

"_Don't touch them!"_

He stole a guilty glance towards his mother, happy that her attention was focused once again on his father. He hadn't been caught. His quiet sigh of relief went unnoticed as he stared into the flames. He twisted his hands in his lap to keep away the urge to touch them. Still, the little child found himself warring with the want to touch the flickering light. It was too much of a temptation. _Just for a sec'nd…_ His mouth twisted into a mischievous grin as he glanced towards his mother and father. He face fell when he realized they were finished for the night. His plan had been stopped. Drat.

Lynn extended her pale hand to her crestfallen son. His eyes had been lighter almost the color of honey when she had turned to him. She knew that look meant he had been planning something. She allowed a low laugh to escape her lips. He was such a bright child for his age. She loved watching him explore, watching his eyes light up and turn that fantastic honey shade.

"_Honey catches more flies that vinegar."_

Her eyes turned sad once again as the harsh whispered words worked their way into her mind. She couldn't let them go. They followed her everywhere denying her any ounce of peace. The slaves all claimed that her son's eyes were proof that he was evil. Their unnatural color along with his fondness for fire proved to their superstitious minds that he was a demon, possessed and dangerous.

She looked down at the innocent four year old boy. His head of dark messy hair melted her heart once again. She didn't believe them. He was a precious child. He was not a wicked. He was her son. She had not given birth to a demon. She refused to believe it.

Lynn brought her child to his room setting down the oil lamp onto the table far enough away from the edge that her son couldn't reach it. _Just to be safe._ She helped him up into bed and got him comfortable.

Her hand brushed away his dark bangs as his eyes blinked up at her. She waited knowing he had a question for her.

"Momma?" Her adoring smile slipped into place again.

"What is it, Case?" She asked in her gentle southern accent.

His eyes darted away towards the flame for a second. Her heart clinched tightly, but he turned his gaze back to her soon. His eyes were light as honey once again.

"Why can't I tou'h it?" he asked quietly, so soft she almost didn't hear it. Lynn didn't need any clarification. She knew what it was.

She tried to give him a stern look, but she knew it was probably only half hearted. Her heart just couldn't take being hard on a boy who was to grow up around so much blind hatred. So she simply replied. "Because it's dangerous."

He blinked at her for a couple of seconds. "Dangourus?"

She smiled and suppressed a bout of laughter that bubbled inside of her because of his inability to say such a big word. "Yes, _dangerous_ or unsafe."

"Why?" He asked. "It's so pretty."

"_Honey catches more flies than vinegar." _Her heart squeezed painfully, again.

"Sometimes pretty things are bad for you."

His little brows furrowed in confusion. "Really?"

She nodded solemnly as serious as she could ever remember being. "Do you remember your father talking to the cook about some bad berries?"

Case's eyes lit up in recognition. "I 'member."

"Those were pretty weren't they?"

He nodded as he remembered the pretty berries that one of the slaves had brought to his father. "Father said they were de-decee'in'." His face crunched in thought.

"_Deceiving_. It means they trick you into thinking their good."

"But they're not?"

"They're not." She confirmed.

His eyes shot over to the slowly burning lamp.

"Like the fire." His sharp intellect provided dejectedly.

His soft fingers brushed against his bangs once more as she replied. "Like the fire." Her voice full of unspoken sadness.

He stared at her as his eyes, darkened and shadowed by the minimal light, returned to burnt ember. She swept his bangs away gently before planting a light kiss to his forehead preparing to leave him to sleep.

Case watched as his mother rose from his bed. She was almost to the door before he got up the courage to ask his question. Father said he was too old to have stories told to him at night, but he loved hearing about the Patriots who had gained their freedom from the bad people across the sea.

"Momma?"

His mother turned back. Her own eyes dark as the night around them.

"Yes?"

His eyes fell from her soft, yet intense gaze unable to hold it for more than a scant second. "Will you tell me a story?"

He lifted his eyes quickly to see his mother's reaction. He watched a soft smile grace her lips as an answering grin stretched his own.

"Of course. What would you like to hear?"

-‡-

Lynn closed the dark wooden door to her bedroom with a soft contented smile. Oh how she loved her son. Her heart constricted, but it was not from pain, it was from her deep, almost painful affection towards her only child. He was bright, curious, and just so precious. Her eyes danced with her delight. She wondered if he had been brought up away from the steeped superstitions of the south if he would have become a lady's man. Her smile morphed into rue amusement. Yes, she could see her Case with ladies chasing after him. He was such a beautiful child.

"You are late, Lynn." Jonathan's deep timber reached her where she stood braced against the door.

"Oh, Jonathan," she breathed, "he is so lonely."

Her husband watched her with the same light intelligence as he son. "You coddle him, Lynn. He is too old to listen to your stories."

She shook her head as she moved to the dresser to prepare for bed. "He deserves to hear stories of his father's deeds."

"War is not as pretty as your stories." His voice held a quiet reprimand. "You should not fill his head with lies."

Lynn said nothing. Her dress slipped from her shoulders leaving her in her corset and undergarments. A rustle of fabric and Jonathan was behind her untying the strings that bond her. "Thank you, husband."

The corset too was removed and she stood before him in only her silk shift. Lynn shivered as his massive hands rested on her shoulders and pulled her back to his chest. Warmth crept through her body as his hand moved to hold her middle, pressing her closer to him, a subtle display of possession. She closed her eyes to enjoy her husband's presence more.

"I missed you, Jonathan." It was a soft murmur, taken from her soul. Lynn was not a creature of hate; her life too full of joys for her to become hardened, but when he had been taken away from her to fight that war, she had come close to the feeling. She had ached for his presence, longed for him to return to her.

He had been back for longer than five years, but her heart remembered that pain of his lose and shied away from it even still. So she sunk into her husband's warmth, taking comfort in his strong build, his protection.

Her head tilted back to rest on his shoulder. Her deep green eyes searched over her shoulder for his dark blue-black eyes. They connected and it felt to Lynn like the world had dissolved away. "Please, don't leave me alone again." Her voice trembled as she showed him her greatest fear, laid her soul bare before him.

His eyes held her captive. Jonathan had never been a man of emotional displays. He was quiet, collected, but Lynn knew him better than she knew even herself. The way his eyes locked with hers showed the possessive, deeply masculine side of her husband while the gentle way he held her to him spoke of his undying tenderness and unshakable love.

"I promise." It felt as if his words breathed her back to life again. All of a sudden, those blue-black eyes lit with flames. "Now, come to bed."

-‡-

Yellow.

Case stared at the flickering light.

Orange.

He peered closer looking to the string that held the dancing colors.

Black.

He blinked and looked away noting the black spots marring his vision. He blinked again watching the different patterns in his blotched vision. The slave children said those black dots where the fire demons' work. They claimed that the fire demon stole away your eyesight if you watched the fire too long; they didn't like attention, the children claimed.

Case frowned at his blanket. He wasn't sure if he believed them, but his momma had said fire was unsafe. Was that because of the fire demons and their black spots?

Case blinked again and the dangerous black spots disappeared from his vision completely. His little frown pushed deeper into his face. The spots always went away if he blinked long enough. He focused as hard as his young mind allowed, but he still couldn't understand the fire demons or their magic.

His attention turned back to the flames and his still unanswered questions pushed to the back of his mind only to have another take its place. Why did he like the fames so much?

His eyes fell downward away from the entrancing sight. Some of the brave slaves said it was because he was a demon too. They swore he was attracted to them because he was a fire demon in disguise, but Case had never seen a fire demon before so he wasn't sure about that. He looked back to the flames again. They were so small; surely fire demons had to be small too, didn't they?

He huffed out an aggravated breath. He didn't think he was a demon, he just liked fire. He liked to watch the colors shift and flutter. The heat of them reminded him of his mother's warm embrace. It would have reminded him of his father's strong arms, but his dad didn't like hugging him. Momma said his dad was 'emotionally crippled.' Though he didn't know what that meant, he had seen a crippled slave before. His leg had been useless leaving Case to wonder how his dad moved so well if he was like that man.

He shook his head again and focused back on the flames. He watched the small light flicker behind the thick glass. His eyes moved to the bottom of the lamp. Dismayed he noticed that the liquid his mother called 'oil' was almost gone.

He didn't want the fire to die again. He hated watching the light flicker and disappear every night, leaving him in the dark. Even if his momma said it was dangerous, Case loved it and wouldn't watch it snuff out again. He had made up his mind. He knew fire also grew on wood. He watched it burn in the fireplace, so he knew if he just got it on the table it would be safe from dying. Resolved, he pushed back the covers, slipped off his tall bed and hurried over to the huge desk where the dying flames sat.

His eyes just cleared the top of the desk. His small hand reached out towards the glass container. Case pressed as close to the desk as he could even pushing up to his toes, but he was still too small to reach the flames. He rocked backwards, frustrated at his short stature only to eye the desk's chair. He pushed himself up onto the seat and grinned to himself. That wasn't too hard. His eyes filled with determination, Case reached again for the glass lamp.

He pulled back his fingers the second they touched the hot glass. He stuck them into his mouth hoping too cool the sting. He frowned, noticing that the flames were making the glass too hot to touch, at least at the top. Experimentally, he touched the bottom of the glass, the part that held the oil. He grinned as his hands connected with the cooler area. He pulled the lamp closer and tried to figure out how to get the fire out of the glass. He had watched his mother separate the two pieces many times by twisting the metal screws. He mimicked her movements and noticed the two glass pieces slowly wobbling as the screws that held them together were loosened.

Finally, Case touched the very top of the upper portion, noticing it was just a little warm, and quickly moved it up and away from the oil and the fire. He picked up the oil container and tipped it allowing the cool liquid to spill onto the polished wood. When he was sure there was enough there, he tipped the flame closer and watched as the fire leapt to the desk, spreading quickly through the oil coating it.

Case jumped off the desk as the heat hit him. It felt so good. Watching the fire spread, he couldn't keep the smile off his face. The fire was growing, all because of him. It was so beautiful, the dancing, flickering colors. The flames reached back touching the wall and moved up the wooden paneling. Case grinned as he watched the flames continue to grow, moving up the walls, towards his bed, and slowly across the floor. He rushed to the door to watch the fire from a safer place, after all it was dangerous. A laugh escaped his lips as he watched the fire he so loved consumed everything in his room before it spread to other parts of the house. Case, enraptured, only smiled with glee as he ran down the stairs to watch the fire's magic from a different angle.

How could he have known? How could a four year old child realize, that the thing he loved so much would destroy everything he held dear?

-‡-

"_I still cannot believe you took him in!"_

The birthday boy paused, his form rigid just a few inches from the door that had almost closed.

He recognized the speaker as his Aunt Caroline's sister, Miss Rachel. Case didn't like the house guest. She was always mean to him.

"Honestly, Rachel, I didn't have a choice. Lynn was David's only sister and he adored the ground she walked on."

"I still can't believe she married that _Langston_ man." Miss Rachel hissed. "He was just as bad as that demon son of his."

Case drew in a sharp breath. _Demon._ Everyone called him that now. It had been five months since the accident, since the Langston Plantation had burned and his family had been killed. It was all his fault. They all said it. They didn't even bother to whisper anymore.

"He was rather dark, wasn't he?" Mrs. Caroline paused letting the air grow with a pregnant silence before she finished in a hushed voice, "especially after the war."

"_A killer!"_ Miss Rachel exclaimed. "You could tell it in his eyes. So shadowed you could lose your soul in them."

"Yes, his eyes were frightening, but nothing compared to that boy."

"Oh yes, I know what you mean. Case's eyes scare me to death. It's unnatural for them to be such a color. Why, I could almost swear they were the exact color of the flames he loves so much."

"You don't know the worst of it." Mrs. Caroline said. An almost hidden excitement made it through her voice at the continued gossip.

"What could be worse, dear sister?"

"That demon burned down the barn."

"_WHAT?!"_

"Shhh. Rachel, keep you voice down."

"He burnt down the old barn? I thought it was set on fire because of the age?" The girl rushed.

Mrs. Caroline laughed. "Oh that's what David told everyone, but I saw the little demon do it. Not even a month after he killed his parents."

Case's face flushed. It was all true. He hadn't meant to. It had been an accident, just like Langston Plantation had been. He couldn't count how many times he had tried to convince his aunt and uncle. No one believed him. Case had just wanted to see the flames again. His aunt Caroline had kept him far away from laps and fireplaces for so long that Case had had to steal one. He had tried to be good by taking the lamp out to the old barn just to be safe. He had tripped on an old horseshoe. The lamp had fallen out of his hands, and the flames had ignited before he could stop them. For all his trouble, the results had been the same. Maybe he was a demon after all.

"You must lock the boy away, Caroline. He is not safe."

Mrs. Caroline let out a depressed sigh. "I tried to, but David wouldn't do it. He hates the boy, you know."

"No."

"Yes, hates him for killing his beloved sister, but he won't send him away for the same reason."

"What are you going to do with him then?"

"When he's old enough he will work on the farm."

"_With the slaves?!"_

"Yes, with the slaves. I will not have that demon around to corrupt my children." Mrs. Caroline sniffed in distain.

"Well, he deserves worse for what he is."

"I agree, but this will have to do for now."

Case couldn't move. He knew he wasn't supposed to be spying, but his legs were rooted to the ground. He had come looking for Aunt Caroline to tell her it was his birthday, but now he couldn't move. Aunt Caroline and Uncle David hated him.

Caroline gasped as she stepped out of the door.

"What is it, Caroline?" Miss Rachel asked as she peered around her sister's frame. She inhaled deeply as she noticed the small dark haired boy staring at them. "Why you-!"

"Why?" The child pleaded. His unnatural eyes shadowed as he glazed at his aunt.

Mrs. Caroline's face tightened. "Why what?" She demanded.

"Why do you hate me?" His voice shook as his mind began to crumble.

"Because you are a demon." She stated quickly in a matter-of-fact tone that quelled any thoughts of denial.

It was with those words that the child was lost. In its absence, a demon was born.

-‡-

_Fifteen years later…_

-‡-

Dark ember eyes seemed to glint as they caught the afternoon sun. Sweet beaded and ran into his eyes before he could wipe it away. It was a damn hot day, if he did say so himself. Not that _they _cared about the conditions that he was forced to work in. He let out a snort at that stray thought.

The tall boy wiped the remaining sweat off his face as he surveyed the work he had just accomplished. The basket was nearly full of fluffy white cotton. His eyes glanced up at the acres and acres of fibers that still needed to be picked. He let out a sigh of despair. He wished he had just skipped out again and gone into town for a little 'company', but it was too late in the afternoon for him to make the trip and get back before supper time. _Back to work, then._

"Master Case!"

The tan, shirtless boy named Case turned at the sound of his name. He recognized the young slave as one of the kitchen hands, one of the regulars used to when his beloved aunt needed him.

"What do they what now?" He half-murmured, half-sighed.

Grumbling under his breath, he picked up his basket of picked cotton and began making his way, leisurely (it wasn't like he was in any hurry to see his aunt), towards the running servant. Case raised an eyebrow in question when the child managed to make it to him.

The dark skinned boy shivered under his master's silent gaze, but he would rather face Master Case than the Mistress' temper if he failed. His back stung with the reminder of what that would cost him. "Mistress Caroline says guest's comin'."

"She wants to me meet them?" Case's voice was full of wry amusement. When had Aunt Caroline ever wanted to introduce him to guests?

"Yessir."

Case sighed in resignation. "I'll be in soon."

The young slave nodded before racing back to the kitchen on too thin legs.

Case walked out of the dry cotton field and made his way back to the plantation house. He made a quick (well, quick for him) detour to drop off the cotton he had picked so if his aunt asked if he worked today the slaves would have proof. He didn't necessarily want his aunt's temper directed towards him. He had that delight far too often for his liking.

Case was almost to the kitchens when he noticed the mixed black and white children playing in the yard. It brought back memories of his own childhood, or lack there of. The moment Aunt Caroline had believed he could work in the fields his daylight hours had been spent there. If he didn't work, he didn't eat. Aunt Caroline had made that abundantly clear.

Case was under no delusions. He wasn't wanted in this house. He had never been allowed to play with the children his own age because his aunt whole heartedly believed he would damage them in some way. Why? Case's lips twisted into a harsh parody of a smile. He almost laughed at the insanity of his existence.

He was a demon.

Case didn't even try to contradict people anymore. Let them think what they wanted. Case couldn't remember when he had begun to believe them, but he did understand he wasn't normal. It didn't have anything to do with his eyes. Of that Case was positive. Sure they were an odd color, but it was nothing like his- Case didn't even know how to describe the emotions he felt around fire. It was intoxicating, overwhelming, the need to watch the flames consume anything and everything in their path. Case loved their destructive, untouchable nature, but he also loved the heat. It brought a since of comfort to feel the warmth of those shifting lights surround him. It felt like home. So, when the nervous black boy came up to him, looking skittish, Case didn't get angry. He just accepted the question that would come.

"Is it true, Master Case?" The fearful eyes of the dark skinned child looked upon him tentatively. "Are you a demon?"

"Yes."

-‡-

"Welcome! It is so pleasant for you to visit our home." Case rolled his eyes covertly from behind his uncle David. Aunt Caroline was using a voice so oily it hurt Case's ears. He almost felt bad for whoever had decided to visit the plantation. Not that he did, anyone who actually wanted to visit this family had to have issues.

"We are so happy that you would see us. It is so late in the evening." Case stiffened at the sound of her voice. It was mesmerizing, enchanting. He looked around Uncle David surprisingly curious about the visitors.

Three people were standing slightly cloaked in the shadows of the porch. They were pale, almost too pale, but that was the current style. It was their beauty that took his breath away. He had never seen more beautiful people in his life.

The female of the group had a pleasant heart shaped face that demanded attention. Her wavy brown hair fell around her face becomingly while her body curved in all the right places. He was surprised at how beautiful she was even in the voluminous skirts she was required to wear. He had to shift a little to make sure his hard on was hidden from view.

The two men were equally beautiful which was strange because Case had never seen a beautiful man before. They were complete opposites despite the similar pale complexions. One had short dark hair that curled around his face. His body was obviously muscular and intimidating even in its beauty. The other had longer pale blond hair that seemed to be tied at the base of his neck; if Case looked quickly, it appeared almost white. His body was slim, lanky, an understated strength.

They both had strength. It was as painfully obvious as the air of power that seemed to cling to the house guests. It made Case both nervous and excited. He found himself drawn to them, almost like a moth to a flame. It was strange, disconcerting. He had never felt that way before.

"It was no problem. Please come in." Aunt Caroline was ogling the two men without any since of propriety. Case almost snorted, but the oddness of the situation was slowly seeping in. Who had house guests after the sun had set?

The female took a step to come in before the blond laid a possessive hand on her arm. "Maria." His voice was a whisper in the night. "We will not be able to stay the night." His voice, so calm, held an edge to it that Case didn't recognize. His mind whirled through that statement.

Maria's lips moved into a pout, and it took all of Case's self control not to jump her, distracting him completely from his previous train of thought.

"Oh, Julian, you are such a dictator." Maria's voice held no reprimand. No, to Case it seemed as if her voice was a caress across the nerve endings of his entire body.

The dark haired man stepped forward. "Have you considered the offer that was sent to you?" His eyes were hidden in the dark of the evening, but Case had the distinct impression he was not being addressed.

Case frowned. He hadn't heard of any letter. Surely Aunt Caroline would have boasted about getting a letter from such dazzling guests. What on Earth were they here for? His mind had always been sharp. This situation was becoming more worrisome now that he wasn't so focused on the woman named Maria.

Uncle David surprised him by answering. "Yes, we have. Caroline and I would be more than happy to accept. He is all yours." Case's confusion only grew as his uncle stepped aside and gave Case a clear view of the visitors.

They were all looking at him. He recognized it as the same critical look his uncle gave a new crop. He was being sized up for his potential. It made Case extremely uncomfortable. Then it dawned on him. These people were here for him. His hands clinched in tight fists. His aunt and uncle were selling him like a common slave. Fury pulsed through his system. His eyes flickered like living flames, dark and foreboding.

Maria's completely sensual lips curled upwards. "Excellent. Are you ready to go, Case?" Her voice was a purr, but Case was too angry to be ensnared like before.

He took a step backwards trying to clear his mind. This was not happening. He shook his head. Maria's smile grew. "Mario, please get my Case for me."

The dark haired man moved quickly towards Case before he had time to get away. Mario's hands were ice cold on Case's skin. The boy shivered at the massive strength they held as if he was truly making an effort not to crush Case's arm. He had no chance of resisting them. That knowledge was like a shot to the stomach. He had never felt so vulnerable before. He vaguely acknowledged that Mario was leading him outside. Maria was saying goodbye.

A carriage awaited them outside. Case was forced outside, his mind in a haze. Mario moved to sit up front as Maria entered the open carriage to sit across from him. She murmured a soft, sensual thank you to Julian before the door closed, sealing him inside the carriage with his new owner. Case shifted nervously as Maria's eyes settled on him. He sensed something almost malevolent in her whole appearance, like something was wrong with her.

As his eyes sharpened, he took in her appearance again. When he reached her eyes, his breath halted. He could have sworn her eyes had been red, blood red. He hadn't been able to tell on the porch, but now, it was painfully obvious. Maria had red eyes.

The coach began to move as Case focused his wary eyes towards his new owner. He had to know why she wanted from him.

"Why did you buy me?" He demanded. Case was not one to be cowed no matter what the situation.

Maria laughed at his innocence. Her eyes raked over his body and Case shifted again to hide the evidence of his desire for her, hated the fact that she could still turn him on.

"I have uses for demons."

There it was again. There was a dark gleam in her eye that seemed like a warning to him. _Get away_. He didn't have a chance of escape because she was sitting on his lap before he could even blink. Case stiffened at her closeness. Her ruby red lips kissed his neck almost lovingly before he heard her inhale. Before he could even ask a question, her teeth tore into his skin and his body convulsed against the pain. A scream tore from his throat.

It felt like he was burning, like he was finally caught in the flames he had dodged around for so long. Was this angelic woman sending him to Hell? It sure felt like it. Case's mind stopped working as the burning took over his body and his screams tore through the night air. At that moment, Case knew Hell.

-‡-

Case couldn't have told you how long he burnt in Hell before he could begin to think again. All he knew was eventually the pain began to recede until it was all concentrated on his pounding heart. Case didn't even try to understand why his heart sounded so loud and clear to his ears. He did feel like screaming when that burning heat took over his heart and converged there. He wanted to scream, but his body didn't want to cooperate with him. For one second, Case wished for death, almost begged for the pain to end. His pride held him to silence.

Just as quickly as the pain had begun, it ended, leaving him bereft. There was a strange silence around him in the absence of his heart's erratic beating.

It was then, in that stillness, that Case opened his eyes to a completely new world.

Three of the most powerful vampires in the south watched, hesitant and excited, as his endlessly black eyes opened. The dark haired boy eyed them warily, with an almost amused twist to his lips.

"I'm not in Hell." He mused.

Maria eyed her newest pet project with barely suppressed anticipation. Her demon would finally tip the tide in her favor. She couldn't wait. The beauty of the group moved fluidly forward, easily capturing the fleeting attention of the newborn. A coy smile curled onto her satisfied lips. "Are you hungry, Case?"

Raw need no _thirst _crawled inside of Case as if her question had ignited it. His grin was positively feral.

"Starving."

-‡-

What happened that night was scarcely talked about in the months following it. That night the second plantation burned. Only a few witnessed the actual burning, and those few never spoke of it. They kept silent about how the flames, white hot, leapt up to engulf the house in a matter of seconds. They never spoke of how only the house had been devoured by the out of control flames. The only reminder was a square of charred earth.

Unnatural.

Demonic.

No one spoke of what happened at that cursed plantation where blood kin had been sold into slavery, where a demon child had been raised. No, they kept silent hoping that they would be overlooked because of their devotion to him and not his last living family. Not that any remained. All the masters and mistresses had been killed almost in minutes by the fury of those strange black and white flames. The slaves quelled all whispered rumors as well. They prayed to their gods that they would not offend him and incur the same wrath as Caroline and David.

No one spoke of that horrid night until the legend of the honey eyed demon disappeared just as he had.

* * *

There you go! Next chapter will pick back up where the Fire stopped. See you soon.

P.S. I would love to get a review! Tg


	6. The Deal

AN: Here is the next chapter! I don't really know how long it has been since my last upload, but I hope it hasn't been too long. Ok! This chapter is where things start to heat up. Characters began to form and connects begin to form. I hope you enjoy it. If so, let me know.

I just wanted to make sure people understand this is rated mature for a reason. I don't think the last chapter was that bad, so just a reminded, there is strong sexual undertones to this story. If that bothers you or you are too young (you know who you are), please stop reading. It isn't too, too heavy in this chapter, but it is there.

I can't believe how short this author's note is, but honestly I don't have much to say. I hope you enjoy it! I love reviews! (hint hint hint) Please leave them. Thanks again to all the wonderful people who do review. I hope I got to you all. If I didn't, just know you are appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own the themes, characters, or plots from the Twilight Saga. All wrights belong to Mrs. Meyer and who ever else they belong to. I'm just a poor college studient with no social life. (sigh)

Ok read on!

* * *

5: The Deal

Amun's sensitive nose twitched in the now dark forest. Something was burning. His mind, still hazy from sexual satisfaction, could not supply any reason for the smell of soot and ash that floated over his face, apart from the obvious answer. He hadn't remembered any fires before his lapse into unconsciousness, though, and couldn't find it in himself to want to move just yet.

"I told you never to touch the stove, Jake." Leah admonished against his chest, clearly still half-asleep.

Amun glanced down at her. He noted with purely male pride that she looked delectably contented. With his hyper senses, he could easily make out the small bruises that marked her neck and breasts. He grinned, very pleased that his earlier work had been successful.

It was as the breeze drifted past again that he remembered exactly why he wasn't enjoying blissful, relaxing sleep at the moment.

_Fire._

He sniffed and tried to catch the direction of the wind, not wanting to actively search just yet. He frowned as his assessment clearly told him the fire was coming from somewhere back the way they had come, back towards the County Attorney's house.

He grimaced at that thought, irritated at his horrid luck. He just hoped if the house was burning that she wouldn't blame him for it. He was unconscious when it happened. It was not his fault. He sighed again. That would definitely be awkward to explain. Susan Brennen didn't seem to Amun like the type who would appreciate what he had just enjoyed with Leah. She struck him as more old fashioned, like his father. He wondered vaguely if she knew exactly what she was missing out on by being so uptight all the time. Probably not.

That brought out the thoughts of Case's obvious attraction to her. He wasn't sure whether to grimace or laugh at their situation. If Amun was certain about anything, he was positive that Case would have his work cut out for him this time, but then again so would the Brennen girl. He just hoped Case's interference wouldn't hurt his plight with the county attorney. As much as he loved his mother, he didn't hold much faith in her abilities to keep secrets from his father. He shivered as a memory of their 'mooning moments' drifted to mind. He cringed away from it as he always had. Some things were just wrong. Seeing your parents acting like love struck teenagers while still in teenage bodies was definitely one of them.

The breeze drifted by again and Leah stirred slightly against him, her naked body creating distracting friction between them. Instantly, Amun's mind was very, very far from where it had been moments ago.

He noted in a small still functioning part of his mind that his physical relationship with Leah had been fast. Since his beginning of high school and all the problems that had happened in those first two weeks, Amun and never looked at Leah in the same way again. He wondered half-heartedly if it was his bizarre teenage hormones kicking in. Either way, she was going to have to stop _moving _against him if she didn't want to spend the next several hours tangled with him, again. Amun had to picture his sister and Jake together to stop himself from rising to the occasion. He shivered at the unwanted mental picture.

Sure he was happy for his sister; he just didn't want to see that. _Ever. _He couldn't decide which was worse, his mom and dad or Nessie and Jake. He shivered again. At least he wasn't having a problem controlling his libido anymore.

"Amun?" Leah's voice was low and raspy, still sore from their previous exercise. Her exhaled breath caressed his naked upper body causing him to shiver for a completely different reason._ Damn libido._ He managed to think as his mind reverted again.

"Yeah?" His voice was hoarse and thick with suppressed lust. _Damn her and her voice too._

"What's on fire?" Her still sleep voice questioned as she nuzzled closer to his body. Any thoughts of leaving the area soon were quickly erased from Amun's conscious mind as it focused instead on planning his next conquest of Leah's delectable body.

"I think it might be that Attorney's house." He threw out nonchalantly as most of his mind was too preoccupied with planning how to enjoy the growing desires she was inflaming to really care about her question. His mouth had moved to her neck.

"Oh, ok." She murmured before her eyes shot open. "Wait- What!?"

"Huh?" Amun responded unintelligently from where he was busy inhaling her scent.

Leah was more than a little irritated by his distracted answer. She shoved him away before glaring. "Idiot, now is not the time."

One of his pale hands shot through his messy hair, as it always did when he was agitated. "Well, you shouldn't have been moving if you didn't want it." He almost sounded like a petulant child.

Leah just stared at him in dumbfound confusion. What was he talking about? One look at his aroused body was enough for a wicked grin to split her slightly swollen lips. "Distracted were we?" She teased.

Amun's slightly annoyed eyes slid over to her. "It's your fault." He accused.

If was possible, Leah's grin grew, but she mercifully dropped the topic. Leah sniffed. "So what's on fire again?" She asked as she began to look for her discarded clothing.

Amun turned back in the direction of the house as much to give a general direction as to remove Leah's naked body from his mind. It was just too much temptation even for him. "It's coming from the county attorney's house. I don't think she has any neighbors. I wouldn't if I was her."

Leah was only listening with half her mind, the other half was busy trying to find her tee-shirt. Despite looking for it in the general direction that they had fallen, she couldn't find it. Her memories were too hazy to readily supply the answer she was seeking making the search even more difficult.

She cursed under her breath as she found the torn, knotted piece of cotton. It was completely useless. "Amun," she growled as she adjusted her pants. His little habit of destroying her shirts was going to have to stop soon.

His head turned back towards her as he noticed the distinctly threatening tone in her voice. He sucked in a breath as his blood rushed south. _This is completely unfair! _She was glaring at him in the tiny strip of lace she referred to as a bra and her tight fitting jeans. Her hair still messy was blowing gently in the wind. He distinctly noted the leaves and sticks she had acquired as well.

He would have to thank Alice again for insisting on packing some 'functional' clothing for Leah on this trip. Amun understood the need for her to wear cheep clothing for easy phasing, but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it. He had made it is personal goal to destroy ever single one of those shirts and force her to wear more Alice approved attire. If he had to do it, then so should she.

"What?" He replied as coolly as possible after seeing her almost half naked. Subconsciously, he tightened his grip on the dark button up shirt.

"I need to borrow your shirt as you seemed to have _killed mine._"

Amun smirked. "I think you look just fine."

Leah's eyes narrowed. "Don't play with me. I can't go back to Brennen's house looking like this." She flicked her hands over her body as if to emphasis her point. Amun found he really couldn't agree with her assessment.

"Why not?" He questioned with a slight tilting of his head.

"Amun," Leah was advancing slowly towards him. Regardless of her slow pace, Amun found himself entranced by her breast's moments almost instantly. Before he knew it, she had swiped the shirt from his suddenly limp hands.

He made a slight sound of protest when her partially lace covered breasts disappeared underneath his dark button up shirt. His eyes flickered up to meet her triumphantly dark ones. "That was completely unfair." He mumbled. She had way too much control over his body, and worse was that she knew it. He couldn't wait to get past teenage hormones.

"I know, but you love me anyway." She replied flippantly as she tossed his jeans towards him. For the life of her, she couldn't even remember him taking them off.

Amun felt something flip deep inside him at such an easy expression of their commitment to each other. It was difficult for him to express his feelings so openly, to even acknowledge them to himself. He wasn't sure if it was from being born male or just a part of what made him unique. He did know that he didn't say such things lightly. For Amun to admit such a deep emotional attachment aloud was rare, but when it did happen, the words were always meant, truly, deeply meant. It was so different from the humans he had observed over the course of his first year of high school. They spoke with such little regard for the words they used claiming to love almost anyone. Amun did not.

"I do." He responded. Even so, Amun knew by the softening of Leah's eyes, the almost fragile look, that Leah understood how much conviction, how much promise, those two words held.

With one last sniff of the air, Leah grabbed Amun by the arm hauling him to his feet. "Race you back to the burning house." She challenged as she pushed her jeans off and exposing herself to him again. Amun shook his head to clear it as she unbuttoned his shirt. He took a deep cleansing breath and caught the heavy scent of ash again.

Amun grimaced again as his shirt was secured to her left calf. "If she asks, it's your fault."

Leah snorted. "Like hell!"

Amun had to blink as his vision went white. He removed the offending scrap of lace before swearing and running after the cheating wolf.

-‡-

Susan Brennen had always prided herself in thinking coolly, objectively, in unanticipated situations. In fact, she considered herself an expert on dealing with trying situations without being blinded by her own emotions, whether they be positive or negative. Never had the vegetarian vampire believed a simple thing as a fire would be the breaking of her level headed disposition.

She couldn't have told you in that moment why her thoughts had been slammed back into a past that she had no control over and could never change. She couldn't have told you why she felt like crying all over again, even though she knew, objectively, that she could not shed tears anymore. To her, the bizarre numbing sensation in her mind was alien, expect for one specific moment in her past.

So alien that all it took was the soft sound of a specific vampire's feet to draw her back from the strange and unwanted place. It was like a bull whip had snapped her mind back into focus, sharpening the world back again. In that moment, she realized she was not in Texas but in Divide County.

Her eyes focused on her home. Her brows knit together in confusion. Wasn't it supposed to be on fire? She cursed her loss of concentration as she tried to figure out what she had missed. How was the fire out?

"Hey, you in there?"

Susan's suddenly guarded eyes whipped around to face the shaggy headed rogue. _Case. He must have stopped the fire._

"Fine." She snapped. He looked torn between amusement and something that looked entirely too much like concern. It irritated her as she wondered just what she had let slip before she shoved all those thoughts away for later. She had more pressing matters to deal with. Namely, the still smoking house needed to be addressed and soon.

Grimly, her analytical mind came up with the answer promptly as if making up for is absence a mere minute ago. "Set it back on fire."

Case merely stared at her as if she was critically damaged. "Why would I do that?" Just when Case thought he might be beginning to understand the strangely complicated and complex mind of one County Attorney, she just had to remind him he knew nothing. He let out a world weary sigh. _Women._

Susan gave him her best disgruntled look. Not for the first time, Case was pleased to see it. At least this expression he understood. She was annoyed at him. He almost let out the grin he was holding back but didn't want to push his luck too far. He was still trying to win her over after all.

"The police and firemen will be here soon. They have watchers always looking for forest fires. They would have seen the blaze." She paused to let those facts sink in. "Obviously, they will expect a raging fire not," she waved at the smoking house for emphasis, as if he might have missed it, "a half burned, still smoking house. It would not make sense."

"So you want me to burn your house?" He checked just to make sure he would not get assaulted for the piece of pyromania he was about to perform.

In that one second, an image flew before her mind. For a brief moment, Case saw something distinctly emotional flicker through her eyes. What for, he didn't know, but in that moment, Case found himself wanting to know, wanting to understand what could cause an emotional slipup in the strange vampire before him.

Completely unnerved by his train of thought because Case never actually wanted to know his sexual conquest, Case took a moment to clear his head. He merely needed knowledge of her personality in order to take the best approach to ensnare her. He did not get involved, not after Sonia. He cringed in memory of his ex before returning to the present. He was not wasting time on Sonia when he had the delicious Susan in front of him. Inspiration hit. Case grinned.

"Yes, start it up at the same intensity it was before you stopped it." Susan stated it as a demand not a question sure that he could do such a thing. Case just kept grinning. Of course he could, he wasn't a newborn. _Piece of cake_, but she didn't know that.

"Oh, I don't know. It would be difficult." The words slipped out slowly as if he wasn't sure. Susan frowned, turning her eyes away from the half destroyed home that she had been inspecting. Her logic was always accurate, so what was his problem? It seemed she would have to be blunt.

"Can you start the fire like I asked?" She hissed the words at him, knowing the answer, knowing he was up to something.

"Yes." _I knew it! _She narrowed her eyes at him. Case merely grinned his sly, completely unrepentant grin. For some entirely messed up reason, he found himself enjoying her little gift more and more. Well, he was a demon after all. Maybe, it came with the territory. Whatever the reason, Case was hard pressed to find a time he had had more fun. Well, that one time with Jasper _had_ been rather amusing, especially when Alice dropped (tore) in…

"Will you set my house on fire?" Her hard golden gaze seared into his flickering red ones, forcing Case from his musings.

"Nope." Case wanted to double over with laughter at the look of indignation, confusion, and sheer frustration on her face. This was too much! He hadn't had this much fun in such a long time. To be able to get under her skin so easily only intensified his desire to conquer her completely, to see what other emotions he could pull onto her face.

Susan for her part was livid. How was she going to explain this to the police chief when he showed up? How was she supposed to stay under the radar if this hit the gossip network? He would break yet another of her rules with his refusal to help. He would threaten their secrecy. Was that what this rogue lived for, breaking her well placed life into tiny fragments? Damage control on this would be huge. Susan was already trying to wrap her mind around how she was going to get out of this crisis when Case spoke.

"I might consider it in exchange…" he let the sentence dangle between them. His amused eyes reminded her of a cat enjoying its mouse right before the final take down. He had her pinned in a corner, for as hard as she tried she could not come up with a logical explanation for the now de-flamed house. _Sorry, Chief, it just burnt out leaving half my house undamaged._ Like that would ever cut it.

"What do you want?" She bit out, frustrated at her lack of options as she heard the sirens finally drawling closer. The cold truth was lingering in her mind. She knew what he wanted, but she prayed for anything else.

"Sex for one night." Her middle clinched as if he had punched her. _Bastard, _her mind snarled. If he was going to stoop that low, then so would she.

"If I agree, then you will set my house on fire?" She had to be sure before she made this deal. Absolutely sure of his conditions.

"Yes." His answer was quick, anticipative. _Sucker._

"Deal."

Case grinned wickedly as the flames shot up in front of them. He had won. That hadn't been as difficult as he had first thought. Soon this conquest would be over, and he could move on to another challenge. He frowned for a second at that thought. It brought a bit of gloom to think about leaving. He shrugged it away. She was good for a laugh after all.

He turned his thoughts towards more enjoyable topics as he mapped out what he was sure would be the best night of her life. Oh yes, he would definitely be enjoying this. His eyes shifted down to her figure.

"So since your house is burned, where are we going to enjoy the night? I don't mind the woods," his grin turned slightly more masculine, "but we might want to be a little more traditional for your first time."

Susan smirked. She would have thought this would have been more difficult. After all, Case was obviously more than a satyriasis (male nymphomaniac) in a pyromaniac's clothing. Perhaps his _enthusiasm_ had clouded his mind, or shut it down, enough that he had forgotten who he was dealing with.

"I never promised you this night."

Case just stared at her in shock, completely surprised. All the gloriously fantastic sex would not be tonight? His happy member wilted. _Damn, she's better than I thought. _He grudgingly admitted.

"When?" He asked weakly. She was so cruel! Susan found it relatively easy to ignore his poor attempts at the "wounded puppy" eyes. They were red after all.

Her grin was predatory. "When I feel like it."

He glowered at her and was about to answer when they were interrupted by the sounds of running coming from the woods.

Susan's low laugh would have been unheard if Case hadn't been a vampire, but the truth was the truth. Her amusement merely stoked his competitive edge up. He was going to get her in bed, period. Somehow, someway, he was going to win this war between them.

-‡-

Leah managed a smirk as she brushed past the last tree a full second before Amun. He might be getting stronger and faster in combat, but she still was the fastest when she tried. Leah noticed that she was on the far side of the house. She was alone for the second. The vampires must have been around front.

Mid-leap she phased, felt her body explode and come back together. Her hands were already putting Amun's shirt on when she touched the ground. Years of practice made the action a mere reflex. _Eat that, Amun._ Her mind was smug as she pulled on the tight jeans for the second time in less than ten minutes. She hated Alice clothes, they were so constricting.

Amun darted into the small clearing and immediately, Leah found herself encased within his hands. His noise rubbed her neck inhaling her scent; his hands played across her flat stomach; his shaggy hair brushed against her cheek as she leaned her head back onto his shoulder.

"You seem to have lost something during your run, Leah." He said as he cupped her braless breast. "Not that I mind."

Leah's body trembled as his hot hand teased her suddenly pulsing body. "I thought you might like it." She said before her tongue lapped at his exposed neck.

"Congratulations, by the way." He murmured to her warm skin. "You can still run. Who knew?" His playfully jibe broke the heat that had been building between them, replacing it with warm affection instead.

He dodged backwards as her elbow tried to connect with his middle, breaking the intimate moment completely. Her eyes flashed in challenge. "Watch it, Amun. You might make me actually try to win one of our little scuffles."

Amun shook his head. "You could try."

She was a hairs-breath away from in faster than the human eye could see. Amun had caught the movement. His mouth moved into a crooked grin, one of expectation. "I would win." She claimed.

There was an undercurrent of challenge to her words, a part of their relationship that had never changed even as everything else had shifted. A tremor of anticipation ran down his spine. He was in the mood for a good fight. He might have to take her up on it.

A rather loud and unnecessary cough brought the two out of their strange bubble of isolation. Their senses expanded. Amun's hand went to his hair as it always did when he was embarrassed. His apologetic eyes looked over the distracting ebony of Leah's hair to where Case and Susan Brennen were standing. Apparently, they had come to investigate. Beyond them, he noticed that yes, he was right. The house was on fire.

"Ah, sorry about that. Leah distracted me."

Leah rolled her eyes before turning around and moved towards the older vampires. "He's going through his teenage years and hormones are distracting the poor boy." Her voice was sarcastic, teasing and completely Leah.

Case's amused eyes met with Amun's disgruntled ones. He hadn't had much contact with the female werewolf, but from what he could tell, she could be very entertaining. Case couldn't help it. He felt sorry for the kid, but it was too funny. He laughed.

Susan shot him a disapproving look, managing to look like a disappointed parent. Amun couldn't believe how much that look reminded him of his father when he caught an inappropriate thought. It was completely bizarre to compare the two. He quickly shook the feeling off.

Amun noticed her nose flair before she seemed to block out the rogue standing right beside her to focus instead on them. "As you can tell, my house is on fire. You did not start it, did you?"

"No." Leah supplied while under compulsion. Amun merely shook his head negatively.

"What _were_ you doing then?" Case's question was sly, silky as sin. Susan's head whipped to him. She shot him a glare before hitting him on the arm. Amun blinked at the unexpected violence. It was like being in the twilight zone. He had never seen anyone act that casually towards Case before. Did she want to be burned to a crisp?

"That is quite enough of you. If you keep it up, your night with me will be in the next millinium." She looked him over with a calculating look, "if you live that long."

Amun watched slightly confused, slightly intrigued as Case's expression shifted almost instantly. He looked in pain. _Odd_.

"Ah, come on, Susie, that's cruel."

"Do not call me that." She snapped back.

"I won't if you play fair."

"Fair?" Her voice was incredulous.

"Yes." Case was forced to answer as Susan continued without pause, her eyes flashing as they faced off.

"You held the exposure of vampires against me in order to have sex with me. Explain to me how that is fair." Her voice was icy sharp.

"It was a good plan." His voice was smug.

"It was manipulative and completely 'unfair'." She snapped back.

"I'll play fair if you do."

"As if you could."

"I could." He argued.

"Oh, really?" Her question was almost rhetorical even though she would always get an answer.

"No." Case responded impulsively before cursing. "Damn it." It was the first time he hadn't enjoyed her little gift.

Susan smirked. "I thought not. You couldn't play fair even if your life depended on it."

"What makes you say that?" His voice had gone dangerously flat, but if Susan noticed, she didn't back down.

"I know exactly the kind of person you are, Case."

"And what might that be."

"All you care about is your own physical pleasure. You don't care what you have to do as long as you get that fleeting moment of ecstasy. You have no idea what real responsibility feels like. How heavy it feels. I doubt you even know how to feel anything real towards anyone." Her voice was high with emotion.

"You don't know anything about me."

Amun noticed with trepidation that the flames on the house seemed a bit hotter.

"As if I would want to…"

Leah moved slowly away from the extremely pissed off vampires and turned towards Amun.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" She whispered not wanting either of them to turn on her.

"Not a clue, but it doesn't look good."

Leah let out a little chuckle. "It's their first lover's spat, how cute." Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

"Just don't let them hear you. I don't want you extra crispy."

Leah and Amun glanced at each other before breaking out into silent laughter. Leah was the first to recover. "Oh, where is my bra?"

"My back pocket, why?"

"I was going to kill you if you had lost it. It's my favorite one."

"Mine too." He agreed as his arms circled around her again. Together they watched with horrified fascination as the fire grew wilder.

-‡-

Susan was raging. She hadn't felt this emotional in almost a hundred years. Unused to the surge, she was overwhelmed, unable to control the swirling emotions. All her pent up frustration, anger, hurt, loneliness, pain, it all came gushing out in a torrent that she couldn't stop, didn't want to stop. Her rational side knew she was going too far, knew the moment she crossed the line, but she didn't care. She wanted it out of her so that she could go back to how she was before he came in and messed her up. She didn't want to be so emotional anymore. It made her dangerous, unpredictable. _Deadly._

She was breathing hard from the emotional rush she had just gone through. Her expanding black pupils met his almost completely black eyes. In that moment when their eyes locked, Susan felt something inside her stir, something she had never felt before, something entirely emotional. _He's haunted._ The emptiness of those dark eyes created an odd, unexpected, wrenching inside of her. It was like looking in a mirror. For that moment, she forgot about his unfairness, about his true eye color. She realized that they were far more alike that she had ever thought. _I'm a demon._ His words whipped through her mind, stirred her emotions higher.

Her anger at him crumbled, disappeared to be replaced by something she couldn't quite grasp, was afraid to understand. He wasn't a demon. Susan knew he wasn't, but that haunted moment proved that he did think so. Without a doubt. The desire to prove to him that he wasn't evil, that he wasn't a demon, welled up.

_He looks like an abandoned child. _She almost reached out to touch him. A tenderness that she didn't know she rose inside her. She wanted to comfort him.

The moment passed so quickly Susan wasn't sure if it had actually happened. Looking at his eyes now, Susan felt a shiver pass down her spine. His eyes were lethal. She stood frozen in shock as his hand darted to lift her chin higher. A new emotion flooded her system. _Fear. _"You should never assume I have the self-control to not kill you." His voice was soft, frighteningly even.

It was truly the first time that Susan could ever recall being afraid of him. He was just too strange to be taken seriously before, but she was paying attention now. She realized that her careless words had sparked some nerve buried behind his careless front. She knew it was a front. The playboy that she often saw couldn't be who he truly was. She had caught the calculating intelligence he hid too many times to think it was just a fluke. He may not be a demon, but Susan realized he wasn't entirely tame either.

Yes, Susan saw that much. It should have dawned on her sooner. Any rogue who had been around as long as Case had been rumored to be had to have some intelligence. Even with his ability fighting in the wars of the south, he could have easily been killed. His mask probably gave him an advantage in war. It sure had fooled Susan, but that advantage was gone now. She had seen beneath it, even if for a moment. What she saw had shaken her. He wasn't evil. He was haunted. Strangely, that revelation brought her relief. _I'm not the only one. _She tried to shove that arrant thought away.

Before she could stop herself, her slender fingers touched the hand still roughly holding her chin. "I apologize." She need to because she knew that she was wrong.

Case dropped her abruptly. Susan watched closely but there was not a hint of emotion to find on his smooth façade. His mask was back on.

His eyes flickered back to the house. Susan's eyes followed to notice the flames were licking up the sides of her house frantically. The swirls of reds and yellows and oranges were twisting and turning – almost out of control. _Is that what you're feeling? _They dimmed considerably a couple of seconds later. Susan turned back to find Case.

He was gone.

Something had changed. Susan didn't know what, but that moment of release between them had been a catalyst to something important. Susan wasn't sure if she wanted to know what it was.

The screams of sirens broke through the trees, pulling her from her thoughts. The rest of the world was waiting for her.

-‡-

Case ran. Yeah, he knew it was cowardly. Yeah, he knew it was completely unlike him. Jazz would probably call him a pansy – well maybe not pansy – but something close to it if he could see this. Still, even knowing that he never ran from women, not from anyone (with an extremely few exceptions), he ran.

Never. Never could he remember feeling like this before. For the first time in an extremely long time, he felt a prickling of unease.

He was vulnerable.

She was captivating.

How could she, in what he guessed was her first emotional outburst in decades, manage to hit so close to home? It was a fluke. It had to be. No one was that good, not even a woman he couldn't lie to.

He would have stayed in that clearing if her emotional outburst had been it. Maybe if her clumsy assessment of him had been the end of it. Maybe. Because she was wrong. Case knew how heavy responsibility was. He had known the feeling ever since he had accepted Jazz as his first (and only) friend.

His fist cracked a tree in half as he remembered breaking that trust. He would never, _never_, forgive himself for that damned day when he had broken his word to Jasper, the one person he called a brother, the only person he cared about. Regret and self-loathing filled his mind until he hit another tree, desperate to get rid of the emotion.

Susan didn't know about his broken promise to Jasper. There was no way she could have. Even as he tried to prove to himself that her assessment of him was wrong, another part of him questioned why he even tried. _She just said what you've always known. _All the fight left him, and he sagged to the ground.

"_You're such a good demon, Case." _Maria's silky, wicked, voiced floated in his mind, taunting him with the truth, refusing him a house on that wonderful river in Egypt.

But that hadn't been it. One second she was describing the worse parts of his nature. The next she was apologizing. Case's pale hands covered his face. _Her face. _God, help him. She had looked concerned, apologetic, worried, sympathizing. His hands fisted in his hair. She had been an angel. He didn't need her charity. Damn it, he didn't want her sympathy. _Damn her._

If it hadn't been for her touch… his fingers burned with the memory of her soft digits. His body burned to have her. _No one-_ Case cut off that thought. He knew better. He could not do this. His head tilted back. He needed some relief before he went insane. His eyes hardened. He needed to feed. Her disapproving eyes flashed before him. _Red eye._

Damn, now she was haunting his hunting to. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone? _You could leave…_ No, he shot that thought down. He would win this war. He would get her in bed even if it killed him. His resolve hardened as he headed north in search of human prey.

-‡-

"Pansy."

"What?" Amun asked as he watched Case disappear into the forest.

"Case is such a pansy." Leah repeated.

"Maybe, but he could still kick your ass."

Leah snorted. "Not if he played fair."

"Ah, but he doesn't play fair."

Leah sighed. "True."

"Let's go play the frightened teenagers." He said as the firefighters began to battle the blaze.

"Oh won't this be fun." Leah muttered.

"Be nice, Leah." Amun chided as he fought back a grin.

"Oh! I'm so scarred, Amun. Oh! The house is on fire!!" Leah's voice was an octave higher than usual. Amun grimaced.

"Ham."

Leah snickered before her face turned horrified.

"That's better." He praised her.

"NO!!" Leah's voice was alarmed.

Amun turned to her knowing she wasn't that good of an actress. "What is it?"

"My clothes were in there!!"

Amun smirked. _Success. Thank you fire._

"I guess we will have to just get some new ones tomorrow." He suggested perhaps sounding a bit too smug.

Leah rounded on him. "You had better not have started that fire to get rid of my clothes."

Amun held his hands up in a defensive gesture. "I didn't. I swear."

Leah eyed him warily.

"Honest." Amun pleaded.

"Uh-huh."

-‡-

"You have no idea how the fire started?" The Police chief questioned Susan as the investigators searched the smoking remnants of the house.

She shook her head negatively. "No. I was coming home from work when I saw the blaze. I didn't even have time to call before I heard the sirens."

Another officer wrote down her statement as the Police Chief frowned towards her smoking house. "Brennen. It looks like it might be arson."

Susan let out a slow breath. "I thought as much. Earlier today, I received a threatening phone call at work warning me to stay away from the drug bust. They hung up before I could get a word in."

Chief Washington eyed her seriously. "You think the two are related."

She shrugged. _Yes. _"It could be a coincidence."

The chief snorted. "Like you believe that."

Susan allowed a thin smile. "No, I don't."

"Are you sure you want to question him tomorrow?" He asked her.

Her eyes hardened. "You know I won't back away from this. They made it personal."

"Don't let it cloud your judgment."

"I won't chief. You know me better than that." She said lightly, dismissively.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I do. I just had to say it. Besides, I don't want you to get hurt."

Susan's smile was slightly menacing. "They can't hurt me, Chief."

Washington's eyes moved to the two kids who were giving statements a few feet away. He frowned, concerned about their welfare. "Were the kids here when it started?"

Susan shook her head. "They had dropped off their things earlier. They came running out of the forest about the time I showed up. I didn't ask what they were up to."

Chief Washington eyed their sloppy clothing and shook his head. "Kids these days."

Susan laughed lightly. "If that is all, Chief, I've have a busy day. I would like to get Amun, Leah, and I checked into the hotel and get some rest."

He nodded to her. "Of course. Have a good night, Brennen. I will see you at 10 a.m. tomorrow for the interrogation. I'll give you call if anything new turns up."

She nodded. "I will be there."

Susan moved over to her guests. "I have arranged for us to stay in a hotel in town tonight. I hope that will be ok."

They glanced at each other before grinning. "As long as we get one room."

Susan shook her head in disapproval but relented. It was not her job to interfere with their personal lives, besides she was marrying them in a day or two. "If you wish it. Come, we will take-"

Susan grounded her teeth together in agitation as she noticed her car was missing. A black vintage mustang was in its place. She coughed. "We will take Case's car since he _forced_ me to leave mine at work."

"Can I drive?" Leah asked.

Susan's smile was wicked. "As long as you're not gentle."

"It would be my pleasure." Leah responded as the keys fell into her hands.

_Payback is a bitch, isn't it, Case? _Susan chuckled as Leah's foot slammed the accelerator to the floor.

* * *

Ok! You know the drill. Review. Review. Review. They motivate me! You know they do! *eyeing all the nonreviews* I will find you! Lol. Jk ^_- Tg out.


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